Southern Europe[]
Macedonia[]
Long considered a backwater in the Hellenic world, Macedonia began its path to greatness with the Battle of Chaeronea, where the Macedonian phalanx crushed the Theban army. Just because Macedonia is the hegemon of the Greek world doesn't mean that it's not resented, so you should protect this territory well if you are to survive long enough to conquer the world. Like most of the Greek world, Macedonia has its own sea lanes, which link it to Latium in the west, Megale Hellas to the south-west and Lydia to the east.
Latium[]
Some say these Romans are barbarians. So they may be, but their swords are strong, and their armies are well-trained. If we leave them alone for too long, they may yet grow into a mighty empire. In which case, they would be able to threaten Thrace, Macedon and Sicily by way of the sea.
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Thrace[]
The barbarians to our north used to be ruled by your father. Most of them revolted from Macedonia upon his death. We do still have some friends there, however. Thrace is an important outpost due to its role as a recruiting ground and its sea links to Italy to the west.
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Megale Hellas[]
There are many Greek city states in this area. They do not like each other any more than they like you. Yet, overcome their rancour, and the way to invading Latium to the north, and Sicily south across the Mediterranean will be open to you.
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Greece[]
Greece never liked taking orders from your father, and they won't voluntarily take them from you. We want to take this territory soon, as the Greeks are in league with the Persians. Seizing Greece will also clear the way to invade Libya by sea, aside from being a stepping stone towards the conquest of Persia by way of Lydia.
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Sicily[]
Located off the "toe" of the Italian peninsula, Sicily has been the focus of Greek apoikiai founded here almost simultaneously over the past few centuries, and the efforts of the colonists have ensured that Sicily is now a major producer of wine. The location of Sicily in the Mediterranean is one which is highly strategic, for it guards the approaches to Italy to the north by way of Megale Hellas, and Northern Africa through Carthage to the south.
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Africa[]
Egypt[]
The Egyptians were friends with your father. Their once great empire has fallen, but they still control a great deal of wealth. Conquer this land, and you will have opened new invasion routes by land into Phoenicia and Libya, or seawards into Lydia and Arabia.
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Libya[]
We will have to cross the sea to invade this territory. Be prepared for a difficult fight when our troops attempt to land.
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Carthage[]
Various Phoenician enclaves dot the coast of this land, allowing them to control the trade in diamonds in Africa. Being master sailors, the enterprising inhabitants here may have a word or two to say on the geography of any given part of the known world.
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Western Asia[]
Lydia[]
This ancient land forms the westernmost reaches of Asia, and is the stronghold of the mercenary captain Memnon, one of the countless myrmidons of the Persian emperor Darius. The capture of Lydia, in addition to securing vital supply lines for your armies, will also open a sea route south to Egypt .
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Phrygia[]
To reach the capital of this province, you will have to secure a tough mountain pass. Your generals are encouraging you to take this route because they have acquired a detailed description of the road ahead from the writings of Xenophon. Conquer this territory, and we will have the opportunity to march further east and south into Armenia and Lydia to the east, and Syria and Phonecia to the south.
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Mesopotamia[]
Called the "Land Between Rivers" by the Greeks, Mesopotamia is an important province in the Persian Empire due to its fertile lands and strategic location between east and west, and thus serves as a major population centre that we can use to bolster our armies.
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Phoenicia[]
The Phoenician navy, which dominates the Mediterranean for its Persian masters, is based here and from this very region they menace Arabia, Phrygia, Syria and Egypt. In order to conquer this province, we must try to land at Tyre, an island city off the coast. It will not be easy. However, seizing Phoenicia may well allow us to then possibly keep our strategic resource supply lines open s we advance deeper into the Persian heartland.
: Fish
Syria[]
Syria is one of the richest regions of the Persian empire, owing to her strategic location, between Egypt, Asia as well as Europe, and is a major producer and emporium for spices. Seize control of this region, and our armies can menace Phrygia, Mesopotamia, Arabia, Armenia and Phoenicia.
The Persian myrmidon Memnon is also in charge of this region, and so seizing Syria may convince the notorious General to join our cause.
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Persia[]
Our scouts tell us that we have a long battle ahead if we expect to conquer this territory. The great cities of Babylon, Susa, and Persepolis are all located here, as well as the Persians' ancestral capital of Pasargadae, which guards the western routes leading to Media, Arabia and Mesopotamia, and those heading towards Carmania in the east. There are great riches here, as well as some danger.
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Armenia[]
The strategic position of Armenia in the Caucasus allows it to function as an overland alternative route into Persian lands and the heartland of Asia.
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Arabia[]
The harsh lands of Arabia often forge men into fighting warriors, either through raiding of the lucrative trade routes that snake north from Sheba, or through defending against them. Arabia is of strategic importance because it neighbours almost all of the other Persian lands to the north, and can form a shortcut from any one of them to Egypt across the Erythraean Sea.
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Sheba[]
Little is known about this area. Many tribes compete for its scarce resources. Hopefully, we will be able to play them off one another. If we are successful, this area could prove to be a vital staging point for an invasion of Southern Asia at Carmania or Sindhu .
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Southern Asia[]
India[]
Not much is known about the Indians. It is thought that on the other side of their lands lies the ocean at the edge of the world. Would it not be wonderful to rule from one coast to the other?
Bactria[]
The second capital of the Persian empire is located here in this land, and is guarded by a fortress of such epic stature that it is thought to be impregnable. Called the Sogdian Rock, it is the focal point of all routes from Parthia; Media ; the Pauravas; Carmania and Gedrosia.
Parthia[]
Bordering Bactria and connected to Armenia by way of the Caspian Sea, this land has been colonised by barbarians who call this flat land home. They may be willing to work with us, if we could successfully induce them into our cause.
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Media[]
Nestled in the Zagros which separates Asia Minor from Mesopotamia is the territory of Media, serving to link the territories of the Persian homeland — Parthia, Bactria, Persia and Carmania — with Mesopotamia to the south, and Armenia to the west. Media has always been wild, untamed ground and we can always count on recruiting the locals to aid us in raiding a Persian territory or two ahead of our arrival.
- : Brigands
Sindhu[]
India is a land rich in resources and full of legends. This region was mapped as recently as around 2 centuries ago, when the then Emperor Darius I sent a Greek georgrapher, Scylax, to explore it for the Persians. From the mouth of the mighty Indus, we can sail to either Sheba to the distant south-west, or travel overland west into Gedrosia, or cross the mighty mountains of the east into the territory of the Pauravas — and perhaps into India proper.
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Pauravas[]
This region has many tribes. One of them, however, is much more powerful than the rest. Be wary of Porus, their king, as he is very dangerous.
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Carmania[]
Located on the Dast-e-Lut, the "Plain of Emptiness", this barren and harsh land is nevertheless enriched by the use of underground canals, known as qanats which provide a source of water — and food — in what is otherwise a vast, sun-bleached waste. Sheba is reachable via the sea from here, even as Carmania shares borders with Bactria , Gedrosia , Media and Persia .
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Gedrosia[]
The only knowledge we have of this land is its harsh desert climate. Cyrus the Great once lost an army crossing this desert 200 years ago. Only a madman would take this same route. Gedrosia is bordered by Bactria to the north, Sindhu and Pauravas to the east, and Carmania to the west.
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