A few concerns:
I like the change to Pyramids. The free settler and the improved workers, ehem, slaves are loved by warmongers.
Swapping military theory with construction now makes horsemen require three techs instead of two. In the same vein, walls now require two techs instead of three. This makes early conquests harder.
Composite archers in mathematics... Are you still moving catapults to iron working? If not, mathematics becomes bloated with units. Are they keeping the iron requirement?
Also, another defensive thing that comes earlier. It looks as though you wanted to ban ancient civilizations from the game.
Cover I on Legions was nice because Legions already had high strength. I have to admit that this opens a role for swordsmen as anti-ranged units, but they won't be much better at early city grabbers.
Being able to improve quarries with just one technology changes a lot of balance regarding luxuries and pantheons. Right now it requires mining, animals and construction (or is it masonry? Never remember the name). And probably pottery, because we can't delay settlers too much. With the changes, it would be just mining. Why can't quarries go on Bronze Working? It's a more natural place. If it is because of bronze working being already bloated, then move something else to construction, where quarries were before.
About the wonders that grant free buildings:
Artemis in calendar may sound right, but Artemis is granting a free Herbalist. With Artemis in a different tech place, players can have a herbalist in at least one of their cities without researching calendar. This is one of the reasons for building Artemis early game, the food is right, but the extra production from whatever camps I may have is a more immediate reward. No big deal, though. Great Lighthouse rewards a free lighthouse too and it's in the same tech as lighthouses. I just find it nicer to have options.
Mausoleum of Halicarnassus is a different beast, since the stone works not only improves quarry resources, but it allows internal production trade routes. The ability to send internal production routes without having any quarry is quite benefitial to Tradition starts. So it doesn't really matter if MoH and Stone Works are on the same tech. What doesn't make much sense is that these buildings are not after or in the same tech as quarries. Why don't you just move stones to the Wheel? Mining is already excellent at yielding production and it's on the path to spearsman, while the wheel is negligleable for a while unless you start in jungle.
What I'd change:
- Move stones to Wheel.
- Maybe move Council to Mining if Wheel is too bloated and Mining too empty.
- Swap Military Tradition with Construction. (G solution for making Iron working more appetizing)
- Leave quarries at Construction.
- Wonders:
- Temple of Artemis in Fishing. (Free herbalist just after camps)
- Petra in Calendar (stones researched first, spreads trade routes).
- Mausoleum of Halicarnassus in Calendar (Stones from wheel must be revealed first). Edit. Typo, I meant Construction.
- Pyramids in Military Tradition. (Sinergy with warmongering)
- Statue of Zeus in Bronze Working. (Free barracks with fewer techs)
