The devs stated in a G2G thread after Byzantium came out to explain the decision.
Personally, you have my empathy; I my mind I was expecting Aesthete Byzantium, Aesthete Aztec (it's not like they were just warriors who loved to do human sacrifice), Aesthete Joseon (scientific Joseon is very much a cliché from civ series, unless the devs are filling up the Scientists quota per era), and Builder Ming (not to say that Teahouse was not really a Ming thing, I sometimes thought devs didn't found an expert on pre-modern China, considering other small mistakes in Zhou design).
However, at least for Byzantium, I can accept a Merchant, and in general, these cultural designs are writings on the wall anyway - I personally don't argue against
fait accompli.
It is also very likely that a DLC culture will be Medieval Aesthete (Tang China? Song China? Heian Japan? Abbasids? Florentines/Lombards?).
Well for Byzantines, it's not a real mistake. I am a lot into Byzantine history, and we could simply say than like a lot of cultures, they could fit multiple legit affinities. They are equally perfect Aesthete and Merchant candidates. Even Scientist fit them well, for all their innovations into warfare, architecture, litterature, phylosophy. They influenced all the middle eastern world, which later, after the fall of byzantium, were the major keeper of their knowledges.
The biggest pro argument for Aesthete Byzantines is for sure the missing aesthete affinity in medieval era. And they were probably the best "european" culture to take this role. Even if I have no worry than there is good aesthete candidates from other part of the world, to fit the job for medieval Era one day.
The con argument is more important imo : their gameplay.
Varangian Guards is legitimately a strong unit, which help you to work on your alliances. So you don't look weak to your opponents but in same time you don't try to be an unstoppable conquerors because you need alliances : for their Merchant ability AND for the quarter (having more horses) and the LT (more money per alliance)
For Aesthete Aztecs, I rather disagree. I mean, we need militarist cultures in the game, we can't just soften, and make everyone being aesthete / merchant / agrarian or scientist.
Warriors were important in Aztecs culture, they are iconic and famous, they subjugated all their opponents in their region (until the europeans arrival obv).
Mesoamerican history is so interesting, a lot of these cultures could be aesthete, builder, agragrian, scientist, expansionist... Having one militarist for this part of the world, don't look scandalous to me.
For me, the Sacrificial part is a really important thing of history of cultures, really interesting with the context of the beliefs, even sometimes with some form of "beauty". BUT it's something which belong to a lot of cultures, in diverse part of the world, and diverse periods.
I would have prefered than it was a generic mechanic, and not especially tied to Aztecs.
Well for the rest, I agree, Joseon is a "cliché" arleady discussed a lot on the discord. I was surprised at Ming reveal, to have another Aesthete Chinese culture. And we discussed about the Zhou innacurate details.
For another Medieval Aesthete, I like the idea of Medieval Irish, their scholar are famous, and the Gallowglass could be a cool emblematic unit which refer to the history of both Scottish and Irish. Aesthete sounds good with them, but in term of gameplay, I'm not sure, because the affinity is about culture bomb/fabricating cultural grievances / money with your influence. So I don't know enough about Irish History to know if the affinity gameplay fit but sounds cool.
I hope having a Scientist Medieval Chinese culture (Tang or Song) honestly, to reach gunpowder tech before everyone else, sounds fun and legit to me, but I'm not an expert about them.
Abbasids will maybe happen one day. But I hope to see the other iconic islamic cultures of the period before them : Mamluks, Seljuks, etc. Or some original choices, the Fatimides to highlight Berber culture and lineage ?
Lombard would be a really interesting choice, they took most of Italy, fighted Byzantines, were subjugated by Franks, ... Could be an interesting lineage from Goth -> Lombard -> Venetians.
For the love of God, please no third Aestethe China... Or fourth East Asian Aestethe culture, this part of the world has so much more to offer
Abbasids should honestly be a scientific culture even more than Umayyads. I have almost said this probably won't happen to not repeat scientific Arabs, but they I have realized East Asian fixation with aestethics and African with trade.
Aestethe Tuscany (Florence) could happen in the medieval age. After all, two of three waves of Italian renaissance happened in the medieval era (one of many reasons why 'renaissance era' is terrible name). Although honestly I'd make Aestethe Tuscany early modern and Merchant Venice medieval... Damn, again I got tastes opposite to devs
Bagan (Burma) and Medang (Java) should be Builders, not Aestethe.
Another possibilities for the medieval aestethe could be (free, democratic) Tibet, some Indian empire, some African or Andean culture, Georgia, Armenia, or honestly any major Islamic empire (although I'd really prefer Abbasids in particular to be scientist). Castille/Leon/Aragon could also work. Medieval Irish would be an awesome medieval Aestethe.
Wait, did I just refute my own point about the lack of medieval aestethes? Oh well.
Maybe mercantile focus was given to Byz to better represent their splendour, majesty, and the ability of od diplomacy to bribe everybody against each other all the time and find the furthest medieval allies possible.
I think you resumed perfectly Byzantine design in Humankind Krajzen. And I agree than if Abbasids happens one day, it would be probably as Scientist, not Aesthete, even if Ummayads already got this role.
Tuscans could work in medieval, but I think than a lot of poeple will find odd to not have them in Early Modern and it will be easier to design them in this period. Just for having diverse city names of their greater extend, or having a sort of Italy wars with Venetians. Renaissance fortress tech is in early modern too. Santa Maria Del Fiore is a given for a wonderful Early Modern wonder.
In term of warfare, mixing an emblematic condottiere with gunpowders units, mortar, arquebusiers, halberdiers, just look way better in term of flavor to me.
I mean, in medieval, they fit more the role of an IPs / city state. IMO, there is already great entities, which were really influencial and ruled a great part of italy to highlight in this period: the Lombards, Naples, the Sicilio-Normans.
I would love to make an "embrace the Renaissance" lineage. Going from Franks to Tuscans to French for exemple, looks really nice to me.
Some Indian dynasty could fit the job for sure. Same for some African or Andean cultures. Georgian or Armenians would be a bit weird as medieval Aesthete I think. I mean, they were heavy influenced and vassalized by Byz, even if cultural influence are interwined (btw they influenced Byz too, it goes in both way), but, I don't know, Georgians are more iconic in this period for their "reconquista" when Seljuks weakened Byzantine Empire. And face to a common threat, Armenians and Byz worked together to protect their frontiers. (so Armenians were sort of frontiers guards OR tried to become independant depending the period). I hope having Classical Armenians instead. Amernians to Byzantines looks like a really legit and interesting run.
We definitly need one day to have another islamic culture in medieval era (atleast, I'm hoping for). But I don't know who would be a good aesthete candidate tbh