Kallikrates
Prince
If you prioritize religious techs you can get theology around 1000 BC or maybe earlier on normal speed, even on monarch I guess, especially with the oracle, an early prophet from stonehenge or a not so early prophet from the oracle + temple.
I haven't tried; since I play monarch/emperor my first religion is usually either Confucianism or Taoism, because they are on the way to liberalism and the techs are usefull anyway. And for some reason the AI (at least on Warlords, I just got BtS and have only played one game) does not prioritize Philosophy, so I am very often the first. And if I try for the Oracle I will get CoL.
The religious nuts like Isabella, Brennus or Mansa always seem to go for the early three religions, then either CoL or Theology.
I haven't tried; since I play monarch/emperor my first religion is usually either Confucianism or Taoism, because they are on the way to liberalism and the techs are usefull anyway. And for some reason the AI (at least on Warlords, I just got BtS and have only played one game) does not prioritize Philosophy, so I am very often the first. And if I try for the Oracle I will get CoL.
The religious nuts like Isabella, Brennus or Mansa always seem to go for the early three religions, then either CoL or Theology.