Should Scythia really have Islamic-looking architecture?

[Kahotep]

I was playing as Scythia today and noticed that they receive the same "Islamic"-looking architecture as the Arab and Indian civilizations once you advance to the Classical Age. Is this really appropriate for them? I don't think they had any big cities of course, but I was under the impression that they were of European rather than Middle Eastern heritage. Certainly the area they inhabited would have overlapped with Russia. So maybe they should receive the same architecture as the Russian civilization rather than the Islamic style?

 

[Agent327]

It's a bit redundant to speak of 'European' or 'Middle Eastern' heritage in this respect. And what people consider 'Islamic' architecture is often heavily Persian influenced (e.g. the Taj Mahal). As long as you don't see a minaret it really isn't Islamic. AFAIK the Scythians originate from the (northern shores) of the Caspian Sea. Whether that's European or Asian is a matter of opinion.

But I'm sure modders will address the architecural styles once proper mod tools are released.

 

[PeteBDawg]

Yes, it's appropriate for the Scythians to be "Middle Eastern." While at the height of their power a lot of their territory was in what is now Russia, they were rivals of the Persians and the Parthians and were not Slavic. Their people moved to a bunch of different places over time (scattered from the Danube to China, a lot of the time as refugees) and generally ended up in what is now northeastern Iran, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

 

[Agent327]

Yes. Except Parthians are actually of Scythian descent. and none of this means they were Middle Eastern, which is a modern term.

 

[PeteBDawg]

I'd agree with Agent327 that "Europe" and "The Middle East" at the times we're talking about were not relevant concepts. But based on best guesses language and their later history if there's a group that includes both Persia and India the Scythians/Saka being part of that group makes sense more than being grouped with Russia and Poland.

 

[PeteBDawg]

Yes. Except Parthians are actually of Scythian descent. and none of this means they were Middle Eastern, which is a modern term.

The initial Parthian ruling house was descended from Scythians, but not the whole of Parthia. That encompassed a bunch of East Iranian ethnicities, right?

 

[Phoenix1595]

Not so much "Middle Eastern," but rather Central Asian. Although the Scythians were long gone by the time Islam penetrated the region, I think the game developer envisioned Scythia as representative of the areas around the Caspian Sea, including Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, etc. Think Samarkand and Bukhara, which today have distinctive Persian architecture. I am not saying the Scythians were Persian or Muslims (they weren't, although arguably their descendents assimiliated into the Turko-Persian culture that developed there), but the developers made the choice of using the region's style to depict the later city styles for an ancient "dead" civ like Scythia.

I, for one, prefer it to a European style. Central Asia hasn't been well-depicted in previous civ games, and while Scythia wouldn't be my first choice, they bring new blood to the game, which I enjoy.

 

[Futumch]

I, for one, prefer it to a European style. Central Asia hasn't been well-depicted in previous civ games, and while Scythia wouldn't be my first choice, they bring new blood to the game, which I enjoy.

Apart from the dreaded Mongols. Poor old Genghis Khan has been demoted to a Great General in Civ 6.

 

[Phoenix1595]

Apart from the dreaded Mongols. Poor old Genghis Khan has been demoted to a Great General in Civ 6.

Genghis will be back, if only to do fan service. Civilization is nothing without the Mongols!

 

[Gorbles]

I'd prefer Kublai to be the faction leader; to be honest, Gengis actually makes more sense as a Great General (despite his diminished visual presence as a consequence).

 

[Siptah]

If I remember correctly, the use the same set as India and Arabia, which I would have called Indian from the looks of it. There is another one that I would have called Middle East - Egypt and Sumeria are using it.
I think this (Indian) is the closest the could get without creating a new set. Using the European set for Scythia? No way!
IMHO it's stranger that Brazil is sharing a set with the Aztecs. But a European set would not be too fitting here as well.