Greece - Antiquity Age Civilization Discussion

[RedCourtJester]

There is something extremely satisfying about the way the fire in the braziers flares up at the end.

It gets a little shiny-glow too, instead of confetti/fireworks/birds.

EDIT: Oh wait Angkor gets the shinies too.

 

[BackseatTyrant]

I dunno if anyone has pointed this out yet, but I'm guessing the reason Greece is represented with an omega symbol, is because it's a very distinctive feature of the Greek alphabet, and the Greek alphabet's usage in mathematics has made the lay-person associate it with higher learning and academics. Thus, it would be a no-brainer to use to allude to Athens status as a semi-mythologised place of learning.

Personally, I would've gone with the Vergina Sun, however

 

[Kyriakos]

I dunno if anyone has pointed this out yet, but I'm guessing the reason Greece is represented with an omega symbol, is because it's a very distinctive feature of the Greek alphabet, and the Greek alphabet's usage in mathematics has made the lay-person associate it with higher learning and academics. Thus, it would be a no-brainer to use to allude to Athens status as a semi-mythologised place of learning.

Personally, I would've gone with the Vergina Sun, however

It's a very positive interpretation, but is the Omega really used for many prominent things in math? Maybe it is - currently I can only think of the symbol of the full set.
I'd have preferred any of the standard symbols, even the athenian Owl would be better despite association with Athens - and other ones already mentioned like the Medusa or the meander. The triscelion is also fun.
Assuming there wouldn't be any separate Macedonia civ, the Sun of Vergina could work.

 

[AriochIV]

The only common use of omega I'm aware of is as the symbol for the ohm, the unit of electrical resistance.

 

[reddishrecue]

Omega is the last place of a group of items in math. Maybe it means that the last do come first.

 

[Kyriakos]

Afaik Ω is routinely used to imply that something has the full set of elements in a given space. Eg if you have the natural numbers from 1 to 5, including 1 and 5, Ω={1,2,3,4,5}.
I do know that it's used thus in Greek math books, but I suppose it's international and not local.

 

[BackseatTyrant]

Omega is the last place of a group of items in math. Maybe it means that the last do come first.

If I recall correctly, the omega symbol most often symbolized death and the general end to things to the ancient Greeks, and thus it's arguably very unsuitable as a symbol.

In fact, it could be argued that the olive wreath fits better for Greece than it does for Rome. After all, it weren't the Romans who hosted the ancient Olympics

 

[Kyriakos]

It is a cool and distinctive letter, but not the symbol to stand for Greece when there are so many far better choices ^^

 

[Zaarin]

It is a cool and distinctive letter, but not the symbol to stand for Greece when there are so many far better choices ^^

I was similarly disappointed in the use of Aleph to symbolize the Phoenicians in Civ6 rather than the sign of Tannit.

 

[BackseatTyrant]

I was similarly disappointed in the use of Aleph to symbolize the Phoenicians in Civ6 rather than the sign of Tannit.

That doesn't bother me as much, as I personally associate the Tannit specifically with Carthage and other Phoenician colonies, more than with Canaan itself. Though personally, I would've gone with a Lebanese cedar

 

[The Fanatical]

If I recall correctly, the omega symbol most often symbolized death and the general end to things to the ancient Greeks, and thus it's arguably very unsuitable as a symbol.

In fact, it could be argued that the olive wreath fits better for Greece than it does for Rome. After all, it weren't the Romans who hosted the ancient Olympics

Laurel wreaths were awarded to victorious Roman generals in Roman triumphs, and generally wreaths were common military awards of distinction for the Romans, so it fits Rome just as well.

 

[pokiehl]

A good icon for Greece will be broadly applicable (so city-state specific icons like an owl for Athens aren’t good) and not in common use elsewhere (Vergina Sun’s greatest association is Macedon. Triscelion has strong associations with Syracuse and Celts. Olive wreath has been associated with Rome strongly forever).

Omega satisfies those criteria. Another good choice might be the Greek lyre. This is what the nice mod Better Civilization Icons used for Civ 6 Greeks.

 

[The Fanatical]

It is a cool and distinctive letter, but not the symbol to stand for Greece when there are so many far better choices ^^

Plus it is also used by the God of War franchise, and I really expected another symbol this time.

 

[Kyriakos]

Would have been fine, imo.

 

[Zaarin]

That doesn't bother me as much, as I personally associate the Tannit specifically with Carthage and other Phoenician colonies, more than with Canaan itself. Though personally, I would've gone with a Lebanese cedar

The goddess herself appears to be exclusively Carthaginian, but her sign has been found in Canaan (and therefore was perhaps also associated with Ashtart, Anat, or Ilot). Cedar of Lebanon would also have worked; also a murex shell or an amphora. Plus, with Dido as leader, Civ6 Phoenicia definitely had deliberate Carthaginian elements.

 

[The Fanatical]

A good icon for Greece will be broadly applicable (so city-state specific icons like an owl for Athens aren’t good) and not in common use elsewhere (Vergina Sun’s greatest association is Macedon. Triscelion has strong associations with Syracuse and Celts. Olive wreath has been associated with Rome strongly forever).

Omega satisfies those criteria. Another good choice might be the Greek lyre. This is what the nice mod Better Civilization Icons used for Civ 6 Greeks.

The Gorgoneion, an Anthemion, Hercules's head with the Nemean Lion's pelt or Zeus's thunderbolt would have been perfect, and they are generic enough. The Vergina Sun wasn't exclusively and greatly associated with Macedon, not for the ancients at least. It has been found on Greek vases where Hoplites' linothoraxes and shields bear it, and it is also depicted as Helios's crown.

 

[Kyriakos]

Tbh even a trident would be better than Ω ^^

 

[BackseatTyrant]

The Gorgoneion, an Anthemion, Hercules's head with the Nemean Lion's pelt or Zeus's thunderbolt would have been perfect, and they are generic enough. The Vergina Sun wasn't exclusively and greatly associated with Macedon, not for the ancients at least. It has been found on Greek vases where Hoplites' linothoraxes and shields bear it, and it is also depicted as Helios's crown.

Personally, I find these would be way too ornate as symbols, with the exception of the antheminon, but that one might too easily confused with the fleur-de-lis

 

[pokiehl]

The Vergina Sun wasn't exclusively and greatly associated with Macedon, not for the ancients at least. It has been found on Greek vases where Hoplites' linothoraxes and shields bear it, and it is also depicted as Helios's crown.

Certainly not disputing that the Vergina Sun has been found elsewhere, but the connotation today is with the Argeads and Macedon, and Civ has already established that it's the symbol for Macedon with Civ 6.

Again, the strongest assocation today is what matters most, because the goal of a symbol is to immediately communicate accurate information to the viewer.

 

[The Fanatical]

Personally, I find these would be way too ornate as symbols, with the exception of the antheminon, but that one might too easily confused with the fleur-de-lis

The Chola icon is just as ornate, so that's not the reason the Omega symbol was picked instead of something else.