Okay, I just finished the ancient age at about 450AD at the same exact turn as Greece. Nobody else is in the middle ages yet but they should all come around soon enough.
I started off a bit weak, got bullied into giving away techs a couple time, but then I invaded the Netherlands with two spears and two swords, took Amsterdam losing just one sword, and took the Hague for peace. Then the Portuguese declared on me so I autorazed their little city in the west of my area and placed a city nearby to replace it. I'm now about to conquor Austria (or rather, Vienna, their only city).
Once that's done I should be a power to reckon with for the Romans and Germans (which iirc, are the current leaders).
The Americans nabbed Baal and another pagan wonder, can't recall which. Other than that wonder building has been pretty normal (portuguese got Maui statues, but that's not a big surprise).
I love the new tech tree, and the ancient age combat setup has exceeded my every expectation of greatness. It makes ancient age combat more strategic, funner, and really more dangerous... I really had to work hard when a Portuguese Spearman started wandering through my territory while I was heading for his home town. But a Spearman and a Swordsman laid him to rest.
I'm gonna prepare for colonialism as soon as I secure my position in Europe. I hope my Republic can take it, I wanna try and avoid my habit of always getting into Communism to support my large militaristic empire.
I can't wait to try out that Grand Battery... It seems potentially overpowered, and if the AI doesn't use it as well as humans that's a problem.