Suleiman's Harem

[MyOtherCar]

Maybe a general timeline would help.

30,000 AD:
First migrations of settlers via Bering Strait land bridge, and begins populating North America

10,000 AD:
Second major migration crosses Bering Strait. South America now gets populated.

8,000 - 2,000 BC:
Much large game disappears. Tribes either switch to smaller game hunting, or begins early agriculture and village life.

3,500 - 1,700 BC:
Early ceramics (Valdivia, Ecuador)

2,000 - 400 BC
Early hieroglyphic writing & calenders by the Olmecs (Mexico).

2,000 - 200 BC:
Important improvements in agricultural and culture.

1,000 BC:
Maya: Expansion of settlements along rivers of central lowlands

750 BC:
Maya: Expansion of settlements non-river sites of central lowlands

800 - 200 BC:
Advances in art, ceramics, & weaving by the Chavín (Peruvian highlands).

500 BC:
Maya: Early Monumental architecture in Pacific plains and haighlands, and central lowlands. Interaction with neighboring groups like Mixe-Zoquean, Olmecs, etc). Beginning of complex social, political, and economic systems.

200 BC - 1,000 AD:
Emergence of cities, social stratification, and material culture.

100 BC:
Maya: Richer monumental architecture in all Mayan sites (from the Pacific to Southern & Northern lowlands), like Maya & Izapan styles, vaulted tombs, stucco-decorated façades, etc.

100 AD:
Maya: peak of population reached in Pacific regions.
- Mutal (or Tikal) founded by Yax Moch Xoc

300 AD - 900 AD:
- Architectural advancements in Monte Albán by Zapotecs (Mexico).
- High advancements in astrology, calendars, mathematics, and writing by Mayans (Honduras/Ecuador/Mexico), development of dynastic rule.

200 AD - 600 AD:
- Weaving & Mummy bundles by the Paraca (South Peruvian Coast)
- Nazca lines by the Nazca (Southern Peruvian Coast)
- Pottery with realistic paintings by the Moche (North Peruvian Coast)

450 AD - 750 AD:
- Theocratic Teotihuacán empire develops with large urban center (Pyramids of Sun and Moon), (Mexico).

600 AD:
Maya: Increasing competition and warfare among Mayan polities.

615 AD - 683 AD: Rule of Pacal the Great in Lakam Ha (or Palenque)
- 626: Pacal II marries Lady Ahpo Hel
- 641: First born son, Chan Bahlun II made heir
- 642: Death of Pacal II's father, Kan Bahlum Mo'
- 654-659: War with Yaxchilan, likely about Pacal II's capture of Yaxchilan noble Balam Te Chac, brother of Yaxchilan's heir to the throne: Shield Jaguar II.
- 672: Death of Lady Ahpo Hel
- 675: Major bloodletting ritual performed
- 683: Death and later accession of Chan Bahlum II.

600 AD - 800 AD:
- Rise of large urban cities & empires at Huari (Peruvian Highlands)
- Monolithic stone architecture at Tiwanaku (Bolivia)

800 AD:
Maya: Peak of population and size reached at most lowland centers.

849 AD:
Maya: The Itza Maya abandon Chakanputun and reoccupy Chichen' Itza.

950 AD - 1150 AD:
Formation of militaristic empire of the Toltecs (Mexico).

1000 AD:
Maya: Domination of Chichen' Itza. Mayapan founded.

1000 AD - 1476 AD:
Chimú empire in Peru, with very large city at Chan-chan and panaqa burial compounds.

1000 AD - 1500 AD:
Maya: Population loss and abandonment of many centers in Central & Southern lowlands & Pacific plains & highlands.

1200 AD - 1532 AD: Inka Empire in Andes (sophisticated and efficient organizational and administrative structures)
- 1200-1225: Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo found Cuzco, Inka Empire begins.
- 1425-1438: Viracocha Inka establishes cult of Viracocha & panaqa tradition.
- 1438-1471: Pachacuti Inka begins expansion out of Cuzco valley.
- 1471-1493: Tupac Inka defeats the Chimu and expands empire southwards (into Chile)
- 1493-1527: Huayna Capac expands north to Ecuador and Colombia, conquers some formerly glorious Mayan cities. Huayna Capac dies in small pox epidemic, lauching civil war between his two sons.
- 1532: Atahualpa wins civil war and becomes new leader.

1224 AD:
Maya: Conquest of Chichen' Itza by Mayapan, the Itza Maya are driven out, Chichen Itza' abandoned and Mayapan's domination begins.

1345-1521 AD: The Mexicas (or Aztecs) form a militaristic tribute empire (Mexico).
- 1325: Tenochtitlán founded.
- 1440-1487: Rapid expansion of power under rule of Emperor Moctezuma I.
- 1487: Dedication of the Great Temple in Tenochtitlán.
- 1502: Moctezuma II becomes emperor of Tenochtitlán.

1441:
Maya: civil revolt in Mayapan. This last important Mayan city is sacked, destroyed, and abandoned.

1511:
Spaniards first seen.

1519-22:
Hernán Cortés enters, lays siege to, and conquers Aztec capital Tenochtitlán.
- 1520: Death of Moctezuma II. Replaced by Cuitláhuac who dies of smallpox after an 8 day reign. Cuauhtémoc, the last Aztec emperor, continues to resist the Spaniards.
- 1521: Tenochtitlan falls to the Spaniards and their Indian allies.

1520-1535:
Maya: First two attempts at conquest by the Spanish are defeated.

1532:
Francisco Pizarro captures Atahualpa, ending the Inka Empire
- 1533-1536: Pizarro sets up Manco Inka as puppet ruler of Cuzco.
- 1534: Rumiñahui leads Inka resistance against Spanish.

1537:
Pope Paul III decides Indians have souls. Instead of killing Indians, colonists actively convert them, and destroy any "heretic" site, or object found.

1539:
Maya: Spanish Conquest of the Yucatan.

Geez, I never saw these things mentioned in my CIV autolog.

 

[Peng Qi]

Geez, I never saw these things mentioned in my CIV autolog.

Did you really need to quote the whole thing?

 

[StuntedAzrael]

I glimpsed at their calendar. It's really, really complex. I find interesting that they based their wars around planet Venus. When Venus is showing, it's war time...

I once saw on documentary that Mayans had in their lands large underground freshwater seas who are present even today. It's spectacular gift from nature and unique in the world I believe.

 

[Flouzemaker]

I glimpsed at their calendar. It's really, really complex. I find interesting that they based their wars around planet Venus. When Venus is showing, it's war time...

That's indeed partly true.
In Mayan Cosmology, Venus and the Sun represented the Hero Twins of their Creation myth, and as such, both were monitored very closely. They had calculated that Venus' cycle took 583.92 days. They held ceremonies every 584 days in Venus' honor, readjusting to take thee decimal into account when needed.
One Mayan ahau, Smoking Frog, had timed one of his warfare efforts to Venus' cycle, probably in the hopes of gaining good luck. He won against Uaxactun, and, since then, later rulers of Tikal did try to time most of their wars to the Venus cycle. That tradition applies to Mutal (or Tikal), but whether it does for other Mayan cities is speculative.

I once saw on documentary that Mayans had in their lands large underground freshwater seas who are present even today. It's spectacular gift from nature and unique in the world I believe.

That's also true, but only in the northern lowlands. On a modern map, that would be the northern third of the Campeche State, all of Yucatan, and most of Quintana Roo.
So, cities like Coba, Chichen Itza, Uxmal, Dzibilchaltun, Mayapan, Hochob, Edzna, Sayil, Labna, Chacmultun, Xcalumkin, oxkintok, Chunchucmil, Acanceh, T'ho, Ake, Izamal, Komchen, Yaxuna, Mani, and Loltun, for example, who get their fresh water out of cenotes, natural wells connecting the surface to those underground rivers.
Chichen Itza possessed one of the biggest, which also explains the citie's name, meaning At the Mouth-Well of the Itza People.
All cities south of that region took their fresh water from nearby rivers.

In fact, that's one of the things that annoys me immensely about Mel Gibson's Apocalypto. In case you haven't seen the movie (which, I suppose is likely), I'll put my gripe in a spoiler:

Spoiler :

The Mayan city featured in the movie seems to fit in the Puuc style of architecture, typical of North-western Yucatan. There are no rivers anywhere close by, especially no waterfalls, as seen in the movie. The only fresh-water source in that region are either cenotes, or lagoons (in some coastal areas).

I have several other gripes about the movie, but I'll keep them for myself.
My main gripe is that they still describe the movie as being "about the downfall" of the Mayan civilization while, in fact, it's only an action movie set during said downfall. Or, more accurately, after it. And to be finicky, using one of the numerous theories explaining the Maya's decline, with probable anachronisms.

 

[StuntedAzrael]

Nah, haven't seen the movie yet and I heard that it twists history a lot. I regard such movies as pure fantasy akin to the Lord of the Rings so they won't bother me at all.

And thanks for the additional info. I'm usually like a small kid in the toy store when I meet someone with interesting stories & knowledge. Always curious, always.

 

[Arlborn]

That's indeed partly true.
In Mayan Cosmology, Venus and the Sun represented the Hero Twins of their Creation myth, and as such, both were monitored very closely. They had calculated that Venus' cycle took 583.92 days. They held ceremonies every 584 days in Venus' honor, readjusting to take thee decimal into account when needed.

How the.. did they calculate it? I know they were advanced in this area, but with such a precision..Funny!

 

[Nictel]

How the.. did they calculate it? I know they were advanced in this area, but with such a precision..Funny!

They just counted I guess, but don't forget that at that time Venus was as visible as the moon is now. (We can't see it anymore thanks to light polution)

 

[Arlborn]

They just counted I guess, but don't forget that at that time Venus was as visible as the moon is now. (We can't see it anymore thanks to light polution)

Oh, I didn't know that

 

[TheLastOne36]

So when approximitly can we expect the next one? sorry if i missed the info.

So excited on hearing how the next game in the series will go.

 

[Hackapell]

Could I also request that you attach your saves to your last post of the night? I'd be nice to go through the strategies should you need help.
Also, I challenge you, Flouzemaker, to build only 5 wonders in this next game. That could take a very interesting storyline, and plus, all good stories involve war

 

[Nictel]

I have an idea for your next game; maybe you can try to get american civs: mayans, incans, native americans etc. on one continent and then europe and asia civs on a different continent?

Looking forward reading your next civ adventure!

 

[Antilogic]

Also, I challenge you, Flouzemaker, to build only 5 wonders in this next game. That could take a very interesting storyline, and plus, all good stories involve war

That's a challenge? A challenge would be only selecting 2 two world wonders to build...unless you are counting national wonders in that figure.

I suppose a chronic warmonger like myself has different priorities, though.

 

[Hackapell]

5 world wonders.
I'm a little nicer seeing as I myself am a recovering wonder-addict, esp. from the oracle.

 

[Antilogic]

5 world wonders.
I'm a little nicer seeing as I myself am a recovering wonder-addict, esp. from the oracle.

It would be rare that I build 5 world wonders, except when I get to the Industrial/Modern Age and have control over half the world. Then, I can go crazy.

Early on, I typically don't build any ancient wonders regularly...sometimes, I'll go for the Oracle, rarely the Pyramids, or I'll get an oddball one like the Statue of Zeus or something else that will complement my playing style, but otherwise I just focus on expansion and beating up my neighbors.

By the Medieval Era, I'll have typically built at least two. However, I'll control several more because of conquest.

 

[sylvanllewelyn]

You know... I really, really wished you had that 1912 save. I don't know the exact situation, but it doesn't sound as hopeless as it seems. Technological superiority, air power and home turf could win against seemingly hopeless odds. Fine, if you want to world builder, build in the SoZ and watch the attacks grind to a halt.

 

[m4gill4]

In fact, that's one of the things that annoys me immensely about Mel Gibson's Apocalypto. In case you haven't seen the movie (which, I suppose is likely),

I'm having trouble thinking of any "accurate" films at all, even ones of the so-called historical fiction genre. While I'm sure some liberties were taken with Apocalypto, there were also probably many genuine aspects to it such as the language and possibly the clothing etc. which I for one would never have been exposed to otherwise. So in that sense, I would say that the information that IS to be found there might outweigh any hollywood shortcuts made in the backstory etc.

 

[TheLastOne36]

ok so when is the next one coming out? Tired of Waiting, to eager to read it

 

[Bastian-Bux]

OK Flouzemaker, here is a challenge for you, a game that I'd like to play myself (but lack the artistic skill to support it with pictures):

"Five flowers for the king"

map: your choice, size must be small or standard, so fitting for 6 civs

opponents:

Isabella of Spain
Boudica of Celtia
Elizabeth of England
Catherine of Russia
Hatshepsut of Egypt

You play:

Pacal II

Victory conditions:

all enabled except domination

Options:

Lock Modified Assets
Require Complete Kills

You win once:

1) strategical: you captured all five "flowers". As in any good story the ladies will be with the last remaining unit of their nation of course

2) storywise: you courted all 5, and won their heart. To make it even harder: all 5 require a different and culturally and "characteristical" fitting courtship.

Any resulting heirs are considered a bonus, side stories about the happyness of parenthood highly welcome.

 

[Antilogic]

You could always try my "sheep or shark" game. If you've seen the episode of Futurama with the '80s Reaganaut, this will actually be quite funny. If not, then you might not get it:

Sheep or Shark? You are a sheep in a room full of sharks, but you have to show yourself to be a shark or it's your head on the chopping block. Too bad the '80s Reaganaut thinks you are a shark by your ballsy question: "Am I a sheep or a shark?" Unfortunately, you are the most sheepy person around and scrounge for leftover food. Are you angry and misunderstood? Do you have the iron force of will? Can you avoid selling all your stock for a sandwich?

Map: Pangaea
You (pick one): Gandhi or Hatshepsut
Your Opponents: Alexander, Genghis Khan, Montezuma, Napoleon, Shaka
(or any number of warmongers of your choice appropriate for the map)

 

[Elponitnatsnoc]

ok so when is the next one coming out? Tired of Waiting, to eager to read it

I am too, but he has to play most of the game before he can decide if it's interesting enough to create a story based around it. However, I wish he'd respond more to the thread!