What 5 Civilizations Should Always Be In Civ?

[Greek Stud]

5 Civilizations
Rome
Greece
Persia
Egypt
England

I guess China should be in before Persia; but I see Zoroastrianism as being a link to the origins of Christianity (making it influencial). Egypt represents Ancient Superpowers and at the same represents Jews and Nubians. Of course I am also fascinated with Greece because I feel connected to it, but not much is spoken about the Hellenic Kingdoms where a bulk of modern day technology was surpassed during Ancient times. Rome because of their engineering superiority, and military might. All countries fall, but being so hated no other Empire fell and had so many other ethnicities and Kingdoms want to be that same Empire (meaning all the nations that call themselves Rome after Rome fell). China is a wealth of culture and technology. Many Civs are great, but these are my top choices.

 

[meteo]

China
Egypt
Rome
Greek
Mongols

 

[JBearIt]

Actually, JBearIt, even in terms of CURRENT civilizations, it is not the oldest.

Aussie Lurker,

I didn't say it was THE oldest CURRENT continuous system of government. Just ONE of the oldest continuous and consistent systems of government.

No worries, mate.

 

[genovais]

I would have to go with the following:

1. Rome, since it was so influential
2. China, same thing, also longest running civ
3. Babylon, what being the CRADLE of civilization
4. Persia, due to its large influence on the West and Ancient Greece, especially in terms of religion (Zoroastronism --> Paganism --> Judaism --> Christianity)
5. France, perhaps a bit biased here, but I feel a good representation of the West in modern times. I have a hard time distinguishing different European countries as civilizations; they all have recent roots in common. To separate them because they represent modern nations seems too similiar to separating Irishmen from Spaniards from Aryans (nationality/ethnicity).

Personally, having America in the game makes as much sense as having the Byzantines. Both were offshoots of other Empires which eventually parted ways, but their culture is still heavily that of their mother country.

 

[lordex]

America has the longest lasting continuous government in the history of the world.

Bar none.

It is the oldest Nation, if partially defined by continuous governance (not merely the name of the system, but the social system *itself*), to have ever existed in the history of the world.

IIRC, there were a few Ancient Egyptian dynasties lasted over 500 years. And I'm pretty sure China had a few, too.

 

[Willem]

IIRC, there were a few Ancient Egyptian dynasties lasted over 500 years. And I'm pretty sure China had a few, too.

But each dynasty used basically the same method of governing as the one before. It's not that much different than Democracies changing their leaders every 4 years or so. On that basis, both Egypt and China had continuous forms of government for thousands of years. In a sense, China has used the same form of government right up until the Communist Revolution under Mao. There were just minor differences in the way Chaing Ky Shek (sp?) ruled the country than the emperors before him did.

 

[SuperBeaverInc.]

Romans
Greeks
Egyptians
Chinese
Japanese

 

[HourlyDaily]

Mark the poll at this point.

Rome 90 out of 102.
China 74
Egypt 66
Greece 58
England 53
Big gap to the USA on 29 and the rest.
Mali slipped into last with 2, behind 'Other'. Go other!

 

[andrewlt]

Unlike the nostalgia crowd, I like to have various civs from the beginning to today, with care to geography as well.

1. Sumeria - Middle Eastern civ and considered the oldest civilization.
2. Greece - Birthplace of democracy. A lot of the sciences got "organized" during their golden age. Represents the Mediterreanean civs, which, IMO, connects the earlier middle eastern civs with the later western civs.
3. China - One of cradles of civilization. While they have been around a long time, they became comparatively prominent during Europe's dark ages and their golden age was around 1200, which just preceeded the rise of the western civilization. Represents the Asian, specificall East Asian civs.
4. Britain - They really represent the era of Imperialism. Rose to power during the middle ages and was the strongest superpower of the industrial age. Represents the western civs.
5. America - Rose to power during the industrial age and is the superpower during the modern age. Located in the "New World" and bridges the western civs from the new world as well. Continuous immigration from all over the world by people with drive and ability who are looking for opportunity is really what made America powerful.

 

[Dark Khan]

Sumeria
Egypt
Turks
Greeks
China

 

[remconius]

1. Russia
2. France
3. Germany
4. Indians
5. Rome

 

[Ad Hominem]

Not to nitpick or whatever, but China has been overrun by the northern tribes a dozen times. The Manchu, that ruled the land from the 14th century right into the 20th, were not Chinese to begin with. It's like Germans running Greece and you say "yeah, but they are European too". Of coure the fact that Manchu and all other intruders were "Chinafied" (how else can you say "rendered into Chinese"?) shows the strength of the Chinese culture. Also, China was fragmented in a great deal of those 5000 years and wasn't even called anything related to "China" until the Chin emperor united the land in the 4th century BC.

Having said that, I must confess I did vote for China (along with Rome, Greece, Persia, England) because I find them a fascinating and long-lasting culture.

 

[Junuxx]

In arbitrary order

1. Rome
2. Greece
3. Egypt
4. Babylon (in the Civ2 fashion, representing the ancient Mesopotamian civs; the Sumerians, Akkadians, Assyrians AND the Babylonians)
5. China

But Civ would be incomplete without the English, Germans and Mongols as well.

 

[Rowain deWolf]

for me its: Babylon (for all other mesopotamian civs).
India, China and Egypt for their long duration and their culture
Rome for preserving and widespreading the greek-culture and their own huge influence on later european-states.

 

[Tee Kay]

My list and some not-so-good reason in brackets
1. Rome (impact on western culture)
2. Egypt (very old civ, impact on modern world eg egyptian craze in 19th century and the arab-israeli wars)
3. India (very old civ, still existing. Hindu-Arabic numbers etc)
4. China (longest running civ)
5. Aztecs (dominance of pre-colombian world, flag of Mexico feature the aztec eagle etc)

 

[Concona]

1.Russia
2.England
3.France
4.Netherlands
5.China

 

[Ozymandous]

Hate to 'rain on your parade' Dearmad, but England and Switzerland can both lay claim to having older 'continuous' systems of government and nation-status than America.
Switerland is the OLDEST 'modern' democratic state in the world, ever since it achieved its Independance from the Hapsburg Empire (around the 14th-15th centuries, unless I am mistaken). It is also the most stable nation-state in the modern world, having had no civil wars, revolutions or major border alterations since its independance-which is more than can be said for the US, which has endured all 3 since its inception as the 13 Colonies of England.

England, too, has had a functioning parliamentary democracy since the time of Oliver Cromwell (around the 17th Century) and-since that time-has also been an incredibly stable nation-state, unless you count the loss of its numerous colonies.
I fear, Dearmad, that you are arguing your case through the prism of a strong Pro-American bias-rather than through historical facts. Personally, if it wasn't for the need to sell the game to a large US audience, I would say that America has the LEAST claim for being in the game-but that is just my humble opinion .

Yours,
Aussie_Lurker.

Good thing Australia isn't in Civ then because they'd have even less of a reason to be there.

I mean it's not like the US has had -anything- to do in shaping world events for the past 10 years, right? No great inventions, no giving aid to foreign countries in their time of need, nothing like that. Not at all.

 

[Ozymandous]

Personally, having America in the game makes as much sense as having the Byzantines. Both were offshoots of other Empires which eventually parted ways, but their culture is still heavily that of their mother country.

You've never been to the US or really paid much attention to the vast differences between England and the US then. Both speak relatively the same language but other than that some things are vastly different.

 

[Ozymandous]

Well thinking along those lines then, Russia should be included as well. They went from being a primarily agricultural society when all the European nations were industrializing, to being one of the world's superpowers. And the first nation into space. All in a period of about 50-60 years.

And which country is now a fragment of it's former self and is no longer much of a power? Appearance wise anyway.

I was thinking of powers from each era that are still solvent and able to handle simple things like infrastructure, etc. In that case the USSR (different than Russia) is no longer in existance.

I thought they taught that up int he Great White North? That the USSR was the empire that Russia formed, but they are two seperate entities, which was obvious to see when all the conquered tetrritories under USSR rule broke off about 10-15 years ago. That's relatively modern history, I'm surprised you don't know it.

 

[Hellas Man]

Rome, Greece, Egpyt, Persia, and China

The five big classical states, and each one has continued as a civ to the modern day. If you don't have them, you don't have civ. India would be sixth.

Yes but one mistake.Egyptians are no longer exist.The people of Egypt in trully are Arabians and they have no connection with ancient Egyptians.