BTS should certainly have included Israel for the simple reason that EVERYONE knows who Israel is and was. Kind of obvious, isn't it?
As for the HRE, it was neither Holy, nor Roman, nor an Empire! You folks really MUST study a bit more history! Who was it that said that France, Spain and Germany came from the HRE? Dead wrong! Almost sad to read these ridiculously inaccurate statements.
Back to the inclusion of Israel and why--
1. They founded Judaism, which was NOT a missionary religion, but a distinct relationship between a God and his chosen people. It was not specifically restrictive, as any were open to know Jehovah, but it was not like the gospel-spreading of Christianity. But few religions are. Christianity, aside from Scientology, is pretty unique as far "spreading the word" goes.
2. They are the root, racially and spiritually, of Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, three of the worlds most well-known religions, and building blocks of successive empires.
3. The unique traits of Hebrews, or Israelites, would have to be creativity and philosophy, no? Most of the Bible is poems and prophecy, right? And it was written entirely(oops, except may be for Job) by Israelites. This Hebrew book has 6,000,000,000 copies in print, three times as many as Mao's Little Red Book(which ranks 2nd).
4. The Hebrews occupied the area known as Palestine/Canaan from c. 1500 BC to about 100 AD, or roughly 1600 years, even though they were ransacked and displaced a few times. Yes, Persia and Babylon had their shots, but by the time of Christ there was still a Judea, and no longer either a Persian or Babylonian empire! No one complains about Mali being included or Tibet being excluded!(Can't believe nobody mentions Tibet!)
5. They are a distinct and globally recognized people whose history, however contraversial, spans as broad a swath of world history as China, Japan, Egypt, India, and Persia.
For leaders, Joshua, David, and/or Moses(even though he already appears as a prophet). Joshua was less aggressive than David, remember. David was the conquerer. Moses was more philosophical and organized.
UU--Mighty Men, replaces Warrior, 3 str, 2 mv; similar to guerillas, these were Davids warriors who waged a campaign against the Philistines on and off. Inspired the Maccabean revolts of 168 bc and likely inspired the staunch resistance to Rome circa 70 AD.
UB--Stone Altar, similar to Monument, as it was traditional to erect such literal markers for the Israelites special occassions--such as crossing the Jordan.
Should start with Mysticism and Agriculture.
Btw, the whole Polynesian thing sounds kind of silly. Unless we want to politely include Enuit, Aboriginal, and Quenchuan civs as well.
Heck, Germany didn't become a country until 1860, right? And Poland has had a far richer and, <ahem> independant culture than Germany.
