Best Ancient Era Civilizations In Civ 6

Key Takeaways

• Persia, led by Cyrus the Great, dominates with extra trade routes and powerful military units in the Ancient Era.
• Sumeria, despite early War-Cart strength, struggles with culture growth; ideal for early game domination, not sustainability.
• Gaul’s well-rounded abilities complexify their playstyle; cultural, scientific, and militaristic victories within reach from the Ancient Era.

With the imminent arrival of Sid Meier’s Civilization 7, it is time to take a trip down memory lane to revisit Civilization 6, the game that truly ushered in a new era for the iconic franchise. From plenty of unique game mechanics to leaders and civilizations never featured before, it has become one of the most popular and well-received installments.

With 50 civilizations and 67 leaders to choose from, not everyone is equal in strength during each stage of the game. The Ancient Era marks the start of every game, and is often one of the most critical points of the game, as it can define the direction of a civilization. This is also where some civilizations thrive, whether it be through dominant military prowess or propagating a new religion. Without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the best Ancient Era civilizations in Civilization 6.

10 Persia (Cyrus)

Conquer Civilizations With Immortals

Persia, led by Cyrus the Great, is easily one of the worst neighbors players can have in the Ancient Era. One way to prevent this is to simply play as Persia and roll over nearby civilizations in a flash. Cyrus’ leader ability makes them absolutely terrifying in the right hands.

Movement is one of the most important features in the game, and the best when it comes to waging wars. Having two extra Movement points gives Persian troops so much mobility that it becomes impossible for opposing civilizations to keep up. Cyrus makes waging surprise wars an enticing opportunity in the Ancient Era before reaching peak strength in the Classical Era, thanks to the Immortal unique unit.

9 Sumeria

Unleash The War-Carts

Ever since the release of Civilization 6, Sumeria has been the go-to civilization for players who seek a blistering start to the early game. Under the might of Gilgamesh, the unique Sumerian War-Carts can stampede through any opposition with ease.

However, Sumeria is quite overrated when it comes to its strength in the Ancient Era. While War-Carts can decimate enemies, they cost an incredible amount of time to produce. They also lack any meaningful way of accruing Culture other than conquering neighboring civilizations. Ziggurats are a great way to pivot to a Science victory, but they take quite some time to come online. Ultimately, Sumeria is a great civilization to play in the early game, but don’t be surprised if they end up being much weaker than expected.

8 Gaul

A Well-Oiled Machine

Gaul is one of the few civilizations that can be called “generalists.” They can easily opt for any win condition except Religious as they don’t have any innate Faith generation. Ambiorix’s leader ability is what makes Gaul a deceptively strong civilization if they are left to ramp up.

If players can amass a horde of Gaesatae and declare war, they become obscenely powerful thanks to the +2 Combat Strength Bonus for every military unit nearby. Two to three waves of Gaesataes can quickly snowball into an entire continent captured by the Gauls. Therefore, Gaul is a great option for players looking to have a strong start from the Ancient Era.

7 Greece

A Blend Of Civics And Might

Greece is one of the safest and easiest-to-play civilizations in Civilization 6. If players opt to have Pericles as their leader, it’s time to build Acropolises to become a Cultural and Diplomatic powerhouse. On the other hand, Gorgo can enable a more aggressive playstyle thanks to the Hoplite unique unit and bonuses to Combat Strength.

However, the main reason Greece is a strong civilization from the Ancient Era is the ability to have an extra Wildcard policy slot immediately. This can open up plenty of avenues after researching Political Philosophy. It can be used to accelerate the growth of the empire or become even stronger on the battlefield. The flexibility and reliability of Greece is undeniable in the Ancient Era.

6 Cree

Trade And Prosper

If players are looking for a peaceful time, yet want to have a powerful start from the Ancient Era, then look no further than the Cree. With an enhanced Scout in the form of the Okihtcitaw unique unit, the Cree can cover plenty of ground than most civilizations in the early game.

The Cree’s main power lies in trade. Getting a Trader very quickly in the game, and being able to acquire nearby territory, is amazing in the Ancient Era, where the focus is all on expansion. It can help prepare the Cree in advance for potential wars or establish friendly ground with other leaders. While the Cree tend to fall off later on due to a lack of clear win conditions, a strong early game can usually set the course for a Science or Cultural victory.

5 America (Bull Moose Teddy)

Become The Envy Of The World

America under Bull Moose Teddy is one of the most fun civilizations to pilot. With this version of America, the main focus is to get Holy Sites, Theater Squares, and Preserves sprawling across all cities. One or two breathtaking tiles in the Ancient Era can guarantee an unstoppable march to a Cultural victory.

While Bull Moose Teddy is more susceptible to early wars compared to Rough Rider Teddy, due to the loss of +5 Combat Strength when fighting on the home continent, having an awesome headstart in the Science and Cultural department makes up for it. Even if most things don’t go right for Bull Moose Teddy, all it takes is a few well-placed Preserves to start steamrolling from the Ancient Era.

4 Aztec

In The Name Of Huitzilopochtli

The Aztecs, much like Sumeria, are well known for being early-game titans. With the might of the Eagle Warriors and the ability to gain plenty of Builders, the Aztecs can quickly dominate the map. The main problem with the Aztecs is their one-dimensional approach to the Ancient Era. There really isn’t anything else worth doing other than conquering the nearest civilization with the superior strength the Aztecs have.

This can backfire if players find themselves against an equally powerful Ancient Era civilization. Most of the time, this won’t be too much of an issue if players can plan out their wars well enough, as the Aztecs are obscenely strong in the early game.

3 Nubia

Overwhelm Civilizations With The Pitati Archers

Nubia is one of the most underrated civilizations in Civilization 6. While it could be because of a largely boring playstyle and straightforward kit, it cannot be denied that their bonuses are powerful in the Ancient Era.

Having access to Pitati Archers, one of the best unique units in the game, increased Production for districts, and bonus Gold, all as part of the civilization’s abilities, is frankly overpowered. Nubia under Amanitore can easily crush any opponent on her continent with a Pitati Archer rush in the Ancient Era, and continue to keep this pace to ensure a clean Domination victory.

2 Russia

Infinite Faith Generation

Mother Russia, led by Tsar Peter, is one of the most popular civilizations in Civilization 6. Taking one look at their abilities should be enough to understand why they are so strong. Lavra, an upgraded Holy Site, is easily the best district in the game. Pairing this with the Dance of the Aurora pantheon will guarantee Russia finding a religion every game.

Once this kicks into motion, opting for Work Ethic pretty much secures Russia a Cultural or Religious victory in most cases. The incredible and almost endless Faith generation can lead to a thriving civilization that becomes a Religious and Cultural juggernaut. Russia is one of the easiest civilizations to pick up while being extremely strong from the Ancient Era, making it a top choice for newer players.

1 Babylon

The Ultimate Cheat Code

If there is one civilization that personifies defiance in Civilization 6, it is Babylon. The Babylonians can completely bypass the game’s standard rules and completely change the way it is played thanks to their civilization ability.

In the hands of capable players, Babylon has the unbelievable potential to snowball out of control in the early game. While they are one of the hardest civilizations to grasp, they are also the strongest if everything works out according to plan. Having the chance to get a Factory, a building that is usually unlocked in the Industrial Era, in the Ancient Era should speak enough about the absurd power Babylon holds.