The Birth of Rome (named just Birth of Rome in the original) is the first scenario of the The Rise of Rome campaign in Age of Empires: The Rise of Rome.
Scenario instructions[]
Description[]
| “ | Central Italy, 509 to 290 BCE Lucius Tarquinius, the last King of Rome, has been deposed! The new Roman Republic, under the leadership of the Senate, has many enemies. The nearby Etruscan kings envy Rome's key position on the hills overlooking the Tiber River. They seek to dominate Rome as they did during the age of our forefathers. The various tribes of Italy—Samnites, Umbrians, Companions, and others—also threaten the growing city-state. Rome will not be built in a day, but the defenses of the city must be. |
” |
| —In-game section | ||
Starting conditions[]
- Starting Age:
Bronze Age - Starting resources: 200 food, 200 wood, 100 gold, 100 stone
- Population limit: 50
- Starting units:
- 6 Villagers
- 4 Short Swordsmen
- 3 Bowmen
- 6
Objective[]
- Build a Sentry Tower next to each flag.
Hints[]
- Concentrate on the mission at hand.
- Build more towers for a stronger defense.
- Remember to research the Sentry Tower technology.
Description[]
| “ | 400 to 300 BC Rome has broken free from the yoke of Etruscan rule and established itself as an independent city-state. We have many rivals, however, and can expect attacks from several quarters. To maintain independence, we must hold off our enemies and fortify our city. |
” |
| —In-game section | ||
Starting conditions[]
- Starting Age: Bronze Age
- Starting resources: 250 food, 250 wood, 150 gold, 150 stone
- Population limit: 50
- Starting units:
- 6 Villagers
- 4 Short Swordsmen
- 3 Bowmen
- 6
Objective[]
- Build a Sentry Tower next to each flag.
Hints[]
- Concentrate on the mission at hand.
- Build more towers for a strong defense.
Players[]
Player[]
- Player ( Romans): The player starts in the southern corner of the map with a small army and base. There is a sufficient amount of resources to win the scenario on the player's territory, but the base can be attacked from many directions.
Enemies[]
- Campanians (Campania before the Definitive Edition) ( Romans): Campania starts with a Tool Age base in the western corner of the base and is a neighbor to the player. They attack with Slingers
- Samnites (Samnite before the Definitive Edition) ( Romans): The Samnite start with a Bronze Age base at the south-eastern edge of the map and are also a neighbor to the player. They attack very soon with Axemen.
- Etruscans (Etrusca before the Definitive Edition) ( Romans): Etrusca starts with a Bronze Age base in the eastern corner of the map. They are possibly the most dangerous opponent as they invade with Cavalry.
- Umbrians (Umbria before the Definitive Edition) ( Romans): Umbria starts with an Iron Age base in the northern corner of the map. Also dangerous, they attack with Improved Bowmen.
- Veiians (Veiian before the Definitive Edition) ( Romans): The Veiian start with a Tool Age base in the center of the map and are a neighbor to the player. They attack with Scouts.
- Gauls (Gaul before the Definitive Edition) ( Romans): The Gaul start at the north-eastern edge of the map with a large Bronze Age army consisting of Chariots, Improved Bowmen*, Stone Throwers, Broad Swordsmen and Slingers. They have neither an economy nor buildings.
Strategy[]
Start gathering stone to build the towers, and food, wood and gold to train more units. There are six Roman enemies in the scenario, but the player won't have to defeat any of them to win.
There are twelve flags the player must build towers next to. Luckily, Romans can build towers at 60% the price, so the player only needs 90 stone for a tower - and fifty stone to upgrade to Sentry Tower, for a total of 1130 stone. The Stone Mines next to the town won't be enough, so the player will have to look for more eventually, but luckily, there's more stone next to most of the flags.
The player will have to protect the Villagers as they build. The Short Swordsman is the Romans' best unit, so train some.
In the Definitive Edition, the towers are more expensive and the enemies tends to raid the player's base frequently. A safer method will be to strengthen the defense of the base first by building multiple towers in it. Also, the start position of the red player is fairly exposed. An early attack accompanied by tower-dropping Villagers could remove them from the game. Their Slingers deal extra damage to the towers and they tend to gang up on the top flag if a tower is built there. The game could also be won by defeating all the enemies.
Alternative strategy[]
The player should wall themselves in with towers in the south and make some ships and Helepolises to defend, then go north and mine all stone and gold there, defended by walls, and make more Helepolises. Transport Villagers on the river. Destroy the enemies with mass Helepolises, or make the towers at the marked spots.
History[]
Historical notes[]
| “ | Although the Romans credited their city's founding to Romulus in 753 BCE, Latin villages existed on the seven hills beside the Tiber River as far back as the end of the 14th century BCE. The city was formed gradually through the joining of these villages into a city-state ruled by a king, and sometimes under the domination of the nearby, more sophisticated Etruscans. Central Italy in this period was inhabited by a diverse collection of peoples. The mysterious Etruscans, whose origins are lost in prehistory and who spoke a language unlike the others in Italy, were the preeminent pre-Roman Italian power. Culturally, the Etruscans were influenced by Greece and Phoenicia and were formed into a league of twelve cities for economic and religious cooperation. Various Italic peoples, including the Samnites, Umbrians, and Campanians, formed settlements, raided, and traded in Central Italy, while two sets of foreign invaders exerted influence in the north and south of the Italian peninsula. The Celtic Gauls entered Italy from the north and would even sack Rome in 390 BCE while Greek colonists established trade and farming settlements in Sicily and Southern Italy beginning in the 8th century BCE. In 509 BCE, the Romans deposed King Lucius Tarquinius and established a Republic dominated by a patrician aristocracy. By the end of the 3rd century BCE, a series of successful wars against the Etruscans, Samnites, and the other Italian peoples culminated in Rome's domination of Central Italy from the Tyrrhenian to the Adriatic Seas. |
” |
| —In-game section | ||
Victory[]
| “ | With Rome's borders secured, her legions march out against the Italian tribes. One by one, they fall to Rome's might. This success breeds fear and enmity among the Greek colonists of Southern Italy. There are rumors that they have called for help against Rome. | ” |
| —In-game section | ||
Loss[]
| “ | The Republic of Rome enjoyed only a brief existence thanks to your inept leadership. Rome has become the butt of every joke from the Gates of Hercules to Persepolis. Once again, we pay tribute to the Etruscans. Report to the chariot stable for duty as a wheel rim. | ” |
| —In-game section | ||
Historical notes[]
| “ | Rome came into being around the eighth century BC when small settlements on two of Rome's seven hills merged to form a village. This grew into a small city spread across the seven hills that dominated an important crossing point on the Tiber River. Rome came under the control of the Etruscans to the north, who ruled the city from roughly 600 to 500 BC. The Romans overthrew the Etruscans and established a republic. They gradually expanded at the expense of other city-states and tribal confederations. A series of successful wars against the Samnite tribes gave Rome control of the mountains extending down the spine of Italy. By 290 BC, the Romans held central Italy from the Tyrrhenian Sea to the Adriatic. Attempts to expand further brought them into contact with Greek colonies to their south. | ” |
| —In-game section | ||
Victory[]
| “ | Under your leadership, the Republic of Rome has become a force to be reckoned with in Italy. You have brilliantly out-maneuvered our rivals to the east and south, and we no longer fear the Etruscans. The new fortifications make Rome nearly impregnable. New challenges beckon, however. The Greek colonies in the south fear us now and there are rumors that they have called for help. | ” |
| —In-game section | ||
Loss[]
| “ | The Republic of Rome enjoyed only a brief existence thanks to your inept leadership. Rome has become a punching bag for every two-bit tribe in Italy. Once again we pay tribute to the Etruscans. Report to the chariot stable for duty as a wheel rim. | ” |
| —In-game section | ||
