Civilization

About this board game

Civilization is a game of skill for 2 to 7 players, with a typical play time of 360 minutes. It follows the development of ancient civilizations from the invention of agriculture around 8000 B.C. to the emergence of Rome around the middle of the third century B.C.

Each player leads a nation across a map of the Eastern Mediterranean and Near East. You must carve out a place for your people and culture by expanding your empire, managing its proceeds, and investing in new technological advances.

Although battles and territorial strategy matter, Civilization is not won through conquest or the elimination of opponents. The goal is to achieve an overall balance of cultural, economic, and political advancement, while responding to rivalry, land shortages, and the changing needs of your society.

• Lead nations such as the Illyrians or Babylonians.
• Develop advances including Literacy, Metalworking, and Law.
• Balance the roles of nomads, farmers, warriors, merchants, artisans, and citizens.

The advances you acquire help your civilization cope with its problems and can also open the way to further advances. The player who changes emphasis most effectively between different outlooks can achieve the strongest overall balance.

Widely regarded as one of the best games about ancient civilizations, Civilization is also thought to be the first game to incorporate a technology tree. This influential mechanism lets players gain certain items and abilities only after obtaining particular earlier advances, a structure later adopted by countless board games, card games, and computer games.