Firaxis has confirmed the initial set of civilizations available in the Antiquity Age for Civilization 7, featuring Aksum, Egypt, Maya, Maurya, Greece, and Rome. Choosing your starting civilization is a huge decision, and fortunately, you’ll have ample time to consider your options before Civilization 7 launches on February 11, 2025.
Civ 7 has a slightly different system from the previous games with its three distinct Ages, each offering a unique set of historical civilizations to choose from as you develop your empire. The first age is the Antiquity Age, followed by the Exploration Age, where your civilization will change into a completely new civ with different abilities, perks, and units. The final age will be the Modern Age, and the transition will happen once again where you unlock new technologies and buildings.
Updated on the 13th of September with the Greece Civilization.
Full list of Starting Civilizations for Civilization 7
Each Civilization has different advantages and tactics to master, with different abilities and perks, Civic Trees, and units to use on the battlefield. Find a list of them below with everything we know about them.
- Aksum
- Egypt
- Maya
- Maurya
- Rome
- Greece
Aksum Civilization
The African coast of the Red Sea hosts the domain of Aksum, with its rich Grassland and hill starting biases, this civ is culturally and economically strong with its Kingdom of Natural Wealth ability allowing it to gather more gold.
Every active Trade Route offers more gold and culture, as do Quarters adjacent to Coast tiles. The Hawilt can be built to increase the cultural output of any adjacent wonder, which also unlocks the Great Stele Wonder allowing to gain gold output per age.
The Aksum has a unique trade ship that cannot be pillaged and a Naval Unit with increased Combat Strength on Coast tiles.
Egypt Civilization
Kemet, the fertile band of the Nile floodplain, is the heart of ancient Egypt giving it its Navigable Rivers and Desert biases. The Gifts of Osiris ability improves the rate of population increase on tiles adjacent to rivers, again making it a culturally and economically strong civ. Gold will be plentiful with the Egyptians, as technologies like the Scales of Anubis will grant access to the Medjay Unique Infantry Units that generate Gold when stationed in a Settlement you own and increase the Production towards Wonders.
While the Tjaty is a Civilian Unit that can only be constructed in cities that have a Necropolis and each unit can only be received once, it’s valuable as it can add boosts and buffs to other buildings:
- Amhose: Activated on the Palace to add Culture to the building.
- Aperel: Grants Chariot Units with increased Combat Strength.
- Hemiunu: Activated on a Wonder under construction to add a medium amount of Production.
- Imhotep: Activated on a Wonder under construction to add a larger amount of Production.
- Khay: Grants Medjay Units that have increased Combat Strength.
- Nebet: Activated on a Necropolis to immediately trigger a Celebration.
- Paser: Activated on a Wonder under Construction to add a smaller amount of Production.
- Ptahhotep: Activated on a Constructible with a Great Work Slot to grant a Codex called ‘The Maxims of Ptahhotep’ that grants increased Science.
- Ramose: Activated on a Wonder to add Gold to it.
- Useramen: Activated on a Wonder to add Culture to it.
Maya Civilization
In the Central American jungles grew a series of city-states bound by alliances and a common culture known as the Maya, with its vegetated and tropical biases. The Skies of Itzamna ability boosts this civ’s palaces by granting greater science output with adjacent Vegetated tiles.
Diplomacy and science are the Maya’s greatest strengths. The Jaguar Slayer is a unique unit that can lay invisible traps on Vegetated tiles, dealing huge amounts of damage to any enemy Units that enter the tile and instantly ending their movement. The Mundo Perdido Wonder can increase Happiness and Science if it’s placed on a Tropical tile.
Maurya India Civilization
The Maurya civilization emerged from a region marked by incredible cultural diversity and the ravages of war. They are best suited to start in vegetated tiles, reflecting their militaristic and scientific strengths. Their unique ability, Dhamma Lipi, grants players an additional Pantheon when unlocking the Mysticism civic, enhancing their religious capabilities. The Civic Trees predominantly offer boosts to military prowess, fortifying the strength of its armies.
The Purabhettarah, a unique cavalry unit, excels in combat against fortifications, making it particularly effective for assaulting enemy settlements near the Maurya’s initial starting location. The population is a happy bunch as the Maurya can significantly boost city happiness by constructing the Sanchi Stupa Wonder.
Rome Civilization
Rome comes from humble beginnings, it grew to span three continents, assimilating the wealth and cultures of those it conquered. The Borg would have dug its style. This is a cultural militaristic powerhouse Civ. The Twelve Tables ability adds Culture to Districts in the Capital and City Centers in Towns.
The Legatus commander unit can gain the ability to create a new Settlement after a set number of promotions, and it can also be boosted with Civic Trees by allowing it to unlock the Bulwark promotion for free. You can also increase your production towards Military Units in the Capital for every Town and spawn free Infantry Units in any new Settlements. The Romans are much happier when they construct the Colosseum, which boosts Happiness in Quarters. This might be the best civ for new players.
Greece Civilization
The city-states of Hellas were a constellation of powers, each with a rich history – militaristic Sparta, intellectual Athens, wealthy Corinth, and far-off Syracuse, each with their rough and grassland biases. The Demokratia Ability gives increased influence per turn on any Palaces. Greece is a Diplomatic and Cultural nation.
Civic Trees unlock access to the Odeon building, which can increase Influence towards initiating and progressing the Befriend Independent Action, making the Greeks excel at diplomacy in the starting stages.
Hoplite is its unique Military Unit, which has increased Combat Strength if adjacent to another Hoplite unit. The Oracle Wonder adds Culture and when gaining rewards from a Narrative Event, players will gain additional Culture per Age.
We can’t wait to learn more about all the Civilizations that will be playable in Civ 7, so keep checking back to see what other races Firaxis confirms in the run-up to launch early next year. Its unique Scholar Unit can boost certain structures, like giving the Library happiness or science perks, or an Acropolis to trigger a Celebration.
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