I used to play the precolumbian GEM on deity with minor start and razing cities allowed. Usually, the Zulu would emerge as the leading AI. Whole landscapes were barbarian, if city razing was enabled or not and barb civs were not enabled. If barb civs were enabled, however, a lot of revolting normal civs cities turned barbarian because there was only barbarian influence on the tiles surrounding the revolting sites and also because of the max #of civs allowed in the game was already hit.
Last times I played GEM, deity (AI starts with 2 cities) again but without minor civs and I have to say Egypt tended to dominate then. More economic tiles around starting places. At Eternity Speed, Egypt reached Sendentary Lifestyle about 120 turns or so before me (England) but didn't manage to have more cities so I considered this game won as I claimed France and Spain for me and had fortified at the Rhine and pillaged Northern Italy ;-)
Interestingly, Ireland had a city with like 50 barbs wandering over the small island but never setting any troops over to england... that would have slowed down my conquest of France, the Netherlands and Spain a lot...
I hoped for Ireland to emerge into an independent civ at some point but it didn't happen, maybe as all slots were full
) in the ancient era, i believe that the only option we have corrected to, you'd have to talk to DH.
