Civilizations (Age of Empires)

This article is about the civilizations in Age of Empires. For the civilizations in the other games of the series, see Civilization.

The playable civilizations in Age of Empires and its expansion, Rise of Rome, are based on major ancient civilizations during the classical period.

Each civilization in the game has its own technology tree, being prohibited certain units and technologies, and each of them also has their own bonuses which affect their military, economy, and overall gameplay.

The bonuses are meant to be exploited by the player and can be proved advantageous in certain strategies, such as Palmyrans being one of the best booming civilizations due to their Villager gather bonus, and Babylonians excelling in turtling due to the increased hit points of walls and towers and stone gathering bonus.

Listed below are all civilizations and their associated bonuses in Age of Empires and its expansion.

Age of Empires

The original Age of Empires release introduced twelve civilizations based on the prominent civilizations and nations of the ancient world. The original twelve civilizations were divided into four groups, Greek, Mesopotamian, Egyptian, and Asian. Below is the list of all civilizations of the original release and their bonuses.

Assyrians

• Archers have -25% reload time.
• Villagers move 10% faster.
• Missing technologies: Bronze Shield, Nobility, Architecture, Aristocracy, Alchemy *
• Missing units: Slinger, Improved Bowman, Heavy Horse Archer, War Elephant, Elephant Archer, Phalanx, Heavy Transport, Catapult Trireme

Babylonians

• Walls and towers have +60% hit points.
• Stone miners work 20% faster and carry +2 stone.
• Priests rejuvenate 30% faster.
• Market technologies cost -30%.
• Missing technologies: Chain Mail, Iron Shield, Tower Shield *
• Missing units: Heavy Horse Archer, Heavy Cavalry, War Elephant, Elephant Archer, Phalanx, Ballista, Heavy Transport, Trireme, Catapult Trireme

Choson

• Short/Broad/Long Swordsmen and Legion have +15/20/60/80 HP respectively.
• Axeman have +5 HP.
• All towers have increased range by 2.
• Priests cost -32%.
• Storage Pit technologies are 40% cheaper.
• Missing technologies: Chain Mail, Iron Shield, Aristocracy, Alchemy, Engineering *
• Missing units: Chariot, War Elephant, Camel Rider, Composite Bowman, Chariot Archer, Heavy Horse Archer, Elephant Archer, Phalanx, Catapult, Heavy Transport, Catapult Trireme

Egyptians

• Gold Miners work 20% faster and carry +2 gold.
• Chariot units have +33% HP.
• Priests have +3 range.
• Farms are 20% cheaper.
• Missing technologies: Bronze Shield, Broad Sword, Siegecraft *
• Missing units: Broad Swordsman, Cavalry, Horse Archer, Phalanx, Catapult, Ballista

Greeks

• Academy units move 30% faster and cost -20%.
• Ships move 20% faster.
• Town Centers work 10% faster starting in the Tool Age.
• Missing technologies: Metallurgy, Broad Sword, Monotheism, Zealotry, Sacrifice
• Missing units: Broad Swordsman, Chariot, Cataphract, War Elephant, Camel Rider, Improved Bowman, Chariot Archer, Horse Archer, Elephant Archer

Hittites

• Archer units have +1 attack.
• Stone Thrower, Catapult, and Heavy Catapult have +50% hit points.
• War Galleys and Scout Ships have +2 Range in the Tool Age and +3 Range in the Bronze/Iron Age.
• Missing technologies: Long Sword, Mysticism, Polytheism, Medicine, Afterlife, Monotheism, Fanaticism, Zealotry, Sacrifice, Irrigation*, Architecture*
• Missing units: Long Swordsman, Heavy Cavalry, Improved Bowman, Slinger, Ballista, Fishing Ship, Heavy Transport, Trireme, Catapult Trireme, Centurion*

Minoans

• Ships cost -30%.
• Composite Bowmen have +2 range.
• Farms have +60 Food.
• Missing technologies: Fortified Wall, Guard Tower, Astrology, Mysticism, Afterlife, Monotheism, Fanaticism, Zealotry, Sacrifice
• Missing units: Legion, Chariot, Heavy Cavalry, War Elephant, Chariot Archer, Horse Archer, Elephant Archer

Persians

• Trireme reload time decreased by 25%.
• Elephant units move 25% faster.
• Hunters work 30% faster and carry +3 Food.
• Cannot build Academies.
• Missing technologies: Siegecraft, Aristocracy,Plow Ballistics *
• Missing units: Chariot, Chariot Archer, Hoplite, Heavy Catapult, Ballista

Phoenicians

• Elephant units cost -25%.
• Woodcutters work 15% faster and carry +2 wood.
• Catapult Trireme/Juggernaught reload time decreased by 24%.
• Missing technologies: Metallurgy, Chain Mail, Siegecraft, Architecture
• Missing units: Heavy Cavalry, Horse Archer, Catapult, Ballista

Shang

• Villagers cost 40 Food (instead of 50).
• Start the game with -40 Food.
• All walls have +60% hit points.
• Missing technologies: Long Sword, Siegecraft, Aristocracy, Alchemy, Ballistics, Engineering *
• Missing units: Long Swordsman, War Elephant, Elephant Archer, Phalanx, Heavy Catapult, Heavy Transport, Trireme, Catapult Trireme

Sumerians

• Villagers have +15 hit points.
• Stone Thrower, Catapult, and Heavy Catapult have -30% reload time.
• Farms have +125 food.
• Missing technologies: Metallurgy, Iron Shield, Craftsmanship, Astrology, Afterlife, Monotheism, Fanaticism, Zealotry *
• Missing units: Legion, Cavalry, Improved Bowman, Elephant Archer, Ballista, Merchant Ship, Heavy Transport, Catapult Trireme

Yamato

• Ships have +20% hit points.
• Villagers move 10% faster.
• Cavalry units and Horse Archers cost -15%.
• Missing technologies: Tower Shield, Astrology, Mysticism, Fortified Wall, Guard Tower, Broad Sword, Medicine, Polytheism, Monotheism, Fanaticism, Zealotry, Sacrifice
• Missing units: Broad Swordsman, Chariot, War Elephant, Camel Rider, Chariot Archer, Elephant Archer, Catapult, Ballista

The Rise of Rome

The Rise of Rome expansion, aside from adding various technologies, units, and various gameplay changes, introduced four new civilizations based on the Roman Empire and its neighbors and introduced Roman style architecture.

Carthaginians

• Transport Ships move 25% faster.
• Fire Galleys have +25% attack.
• Elephant and Academy units have +25% hit points.
• Camel Riders have +15% HP.
• Start with +50 of each resource.
• Missing technologies: Metallurgy, Chain Mail, Fortified Wall, Siegecraft, Astrology, Polytheism, Fanaticism
• Missing units: Chariot, Chariot Archer, Catapult Trireme, Legion, Catapult, Cataphract, Heavy Horse Archer, Composite Bowman

Macedonians

• Academy units have +1/+2 pierce armor in the Bronze/Iron Age.
• Units with no range have +2 Line of Sight.
• All siege units are 25% cheaper.
• Units are 4 times more resistant to conversion.
• Cannot build Temples.
• Missing technologies: Fortified Wall, Long Sword, Craftsmanship, Siegecraft, Nobility, Engineering *
• Missing units: Camel Rider, Elephant Archer, Priest *

Palmyrans

• Tributes are free.
• Camel Riders move 25% faster.
• Gold received per Trade Ship doubled.
• Villagers work 25% faster and have +1/+1 armor, but cost 75 food.
• Start the game with +75 food.
• Missing technologies: Metallurgy, Tower Shield, Long Sword, Craftsmanship, Mysticism, Polytheism, Medicine, Monotheism, Sacrifice, Logistics, Aristocracy, Engineering *
• Missing units: Elephant Archer

Romans

• Buildings cost -10% (except Towers, Walls, and Wonders).
• Towers cost -40%.
• Swordsmen have -33% reload time.
• Missing technologies: Guard Tower, Irrigation, Astrology, Afterlife, Alchemy
• Missing units: War Elephant, Camel Rider, Chariot Archer, Horse Archer, Elephant Archer

External links

• Age of Empires units Telcontar's Empire of the Ages
• Civilization attributes Telcontar's Empire of the Ages