In this latest version, 12-20, I've found that garnering early DoF through attractive trades, caravans, and strategic enemy-of-my-enemy denouncements, I can cement blocs much more easily. I agree to go to war when my nearby friends ask me (with turns to prepare, of course) and this convinces them that I'm a good guy. My last game as Theodora saw my religion snowball to 35 cities, with the Celts being the next highest at 10 cities. This is late Renaissance era on a Standard Communitu Pangea, Emperor AI.
My lovely followers proposed, and then voted, to have my religion become the World Religion. I didn't have to fight much at all, despite being told my military was too weak many times, even by 'hostile' neighbors. I'm loving the increased significance of Diplomacy in this latest iteration,
@Recursive . I'm gonna have to play a Rome game soon and see how the warmongering side feels!