Byzantium
- Faction
- Roman
- Land fields
- 235
- Starting population
- 642,000
- Provinces
- 3
- Cities
- 5
- Growth material
- Stone
- Starting treasury
- 2,000,000
- Starting ships
- 3
- Starting trains
- 3
Historical background
According to tradition, Greek settlers from Megara founded Byzantion around 660 BC on the Bosporus, the strait between Europe and Asia. Its position on the sea route from the Black Sea into the Mediterranean made the city rich and strategically coveted. Emperor Constantine the Great rebuilt it and dedicated it in AD 330 as Constantinople, the new capital of the empire. As capital of the Eastern Roman Empire it outlasted the West by almost a thousand years, until 1453.
Read more on Wikipedia ↗Strategic overview
Byzantium links Europe and Asia, and almost half of its fields lie on the coast. It has one of the richest mixes of deposits: horses, ore, gold, crimson, myrrh and salt. Plenty of hill country gives room for a dense population.
As a Roman realm you raise Legions, up to 3 a month, the last of them at a surcharge. Your troops cost more but are of higher quality. You can only form a friendship with other Roman realms.
What to watch
- All five cities lie on the coast. Without a fleet Byzantium is vulnerable; with one it commands the sea lanes around its land.
- Hills carry a high population density, and mountains supply stone for your growth. You have plenty of both.
- You have no food deposits. Plan Latifundia on the plains before the population grows.
- Friendship is possible with Illyria and Palestine, but not with Parthia or Germania. Parthia's cataphracts are the danger in the east.
Provinces
| Province | Land fields | Share of province | Starting population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Macedonia | 82 | 100% | 287,000 |
| Cappadocia | 78 | 100% | 171,500 |
| Bythinia | 75 | 100% | 183,500 |
Terrain
| Terrain | Land fields | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hill | 105 | 45% |
| Plain | 72 | 31% |
| Mountain | 44 | 19% |
| Forest | 13 | 6% |
| Swamp | 1 | 0% |
Resource deposits
| Resource | Fields |
|---|---|
| Horses | 4 |
| Ore | 3 |
| Crimson | 3 |
| Gold | 3 |
| Salt | 1 |
| Myrrh | 1 |
Cities
| City | Starting building | Province | Position (x / y) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sinope | Trade centre | Bythinia | 58 / 32 |
| Kerossos | Trade centre | Cappadocia | 64 / 32 |
| Byzanthinum | Trade centre | Macedonia | 52 / 33 |
| Athenae | Trade centre | Macedonia | 46 / 40 |
| Knossos | Trade centre | Bythinia | 48 / 45 |
Army
This realm's legion types and unit types, with its own values. Compare all troops
Legion types
| Legion type | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Infantrielegion | SWI | SWI | SWI | SWI | SWI | SWI | SWI | SWI | SWI | MII |
| Auxiliarlegion | MSI | MSI | MSI | MSI | MSI | MSI | MSI | MSI | MSI | MSI |
Unit types
| No. | Name | Class | MK | HG | Rüpu | EW | SW | Pla | Hil | Stp | Sav | For | Des | Swa | Mtn | FK | RW | Wt. | MP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Römische Prätorianer | SSI | RA | 180 | 6 | 7 | 110 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 5 | — | — | 300 | 36 |
| 5 | Römische Infantrie | SWI | RB | 100 | 6 | 6 | 110 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | — | — | 280 | 36 |
| 15 | Legionsinfantrie | MSI | RB | 85 | 6 | 5 | 110 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | — | — | 200 | 36 |
| 22 | Germanische Adelskrieger | MSI | IA | 120 | 3 | 3 | 60 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 4 | — | — | 200 | 32 |
| 23 | Auxiliarinfantrie | MSI | IA | 75 | 4 | 4 | 80 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 200 | 32 |
| 32 | Germanische Infantrie | MII | IB | 50 | 1 | 3 | 35 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 3 | — | — | 200 | 32 |
| 34 | Gotische Infantrie | MII | IB | 50 | 2 | 3 | 40 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | — | — | 200 | 32 |
| 44 | Speerwerfertruppen | MII | IB | 50 | 2 | 3 | 40 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 200 | 32 |
| 45 | Leichte Legionsinfantrie | MII | RB | 100 | 6 | 5 | 110 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 9 | 200 | 36 |
| 61 | Germanische Plänkler | LEI | IB | 45 | 1 | 3 | 35 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 200 | 32 |
| 62 | Gotische Plänkler | LEI | IB | 40 | 1 | 3 | 35 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 9 | 200 | 32 |
| 68 | Bogenschützen | LEI | IB | 45 | 1 | 3 | 30 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 200 | 32 |
| 69 | Schleuderer | LEI | IB | 35 | 1 | 3 | 25 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 200 | 32 |
| 74 | Röm. Pfeilgeschützkohorte | LEI | RB | 350 | 30 | 5 | 115 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 26 | 200 | 36 |
| 75 | Röm. Steinschleuderkohorte | LEI | RB | 450 | 45 | 5 | 115 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 20 | 200 | 36 |
| 80 | Palmyrische Bogenschützen | LEI | IA | 80 | 2 | 4 | 40 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 14 | 200 | 32 |
| 82 | Balearische Schleuderer | LEI | IA | 70 | 1 | 3 | 30 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 12 | 200 | 32 |
| 83 | Thrakische Peltasten | LEI | IA | 30 | 1 | 3 | 35 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 9 | 200 | 32 |
| 90 | Gepidische Krieger | LEI | IB | 35 | 1 | 3 | 35 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | — | — | 200 | 32 |
| 93 | Römische Bogenschützen | LEI | RB | 100 | 6 | 5 | 100 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 200 | 36 |
| 124 | Byzantinische Kataphrakten mounted | SWK | RB | 350 | 14 | 6 | 135 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 480 | 40 |
| 125 | Palmyrische Clibarnii mounted | SWK | RB | 235 | 8 | 4 | 105 | 8 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 14 | 480 | 40 |
| 131 | Germanische Adelsreiter mounted | SWR | IA | 95 | 4 | 3 | 70 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 450 | 40 |
| 134 | Equites Singulares mounted | SWR | RB | 120 | 7 | 5 | 110 | 8 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | — | — | 450 | 40 |
| 135 | Equites Prätoriani mounted | SWR | RA | 200 | 6 | 7 | 110 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 5 | — | — | 450 | 40 |
| 136 | Gotische Adelsreiter mounted | SWR | IA | 100 | 4 | 3 | 70 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 450 | 40 |
| 145 | Römische Legionskavallerie mounted | MIR | RB | 115 | 7 | 5 | 110 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 420 | 40 |
| 147 | Gotische Reiterei mounted | MIR | IB | 58 | 3 | 3 | 50 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | — | 420 | 40 |
| 154 | Röm. berittene Bogenschützen mounted | MIR | RB | 110 | 6 | 5 | 100 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 420 | 40 |
| 155 | Auxiliarkavallerie mounted | MIR | IA | 90 | 5 | 4 | 80 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 420 | 40 |
| 161 | Germanische leichte Reiterei mounted | LER | IB | 55 | 2 | 3 | 40 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | — | — | 400 | 40 |
| 162 | Berittene Bogenschützen mounted | LER | IB | 60 | 2 | 3 | 35 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 400 | 40 |
MK Moral class · HG Bounty per man · Rüpu Armour points per 25 men · EW Highest experience through training · SW Protection value · FK Ranged combat points · RW Range of ranged combat · Wt. Transport weight per man · MP Movement points · The eight columns in between are the melee points per terrain.