Civilizations

Civilization 3 has 16 civilizations in the 2001 base game, 24 with Play the World and 31 with Conquests. Each has one leader, two traits, two starting advances and one unique unit.

0:28 Civilization 3 has 16 civilizations in the 2001 base game, 24 with Play the World and 31 with Conquests, the total the Complete manual's civilization chart (pp. 28-29) lists. Each civilization has one leader, two traits, two starting advances and one unique unit that only it can build, as the 2001 manual (p. 161) puts it. The Complete edition sold on Steam and GOG runs Conquests, so all 31 are on offer there.

Isometric map of a green coast with whales offshore and cities labeled Bergen, Berserk 5; Reykjavik, Sun Tzu's Art of War 68; Trondheim, JS Bach's Cathedral 41; Copenhagen, Berserk 17; a red dotted border runs through the hills. — Gameplay from the Steam store page: Viking cities on a green coast, Bergen and Copenhagen building Berserks, Reykjavik Sun Tzu's Art of War and Trondheim JS Bach's Cathedral. Firaxis Games and 2K

Quick facts

Civilizations	31 with both expansions: 16 + 8 + 7
Base game (2001)	16, from the Americans to the Zulus (civ3.com FAQ)
Play the World (2002)	8: Arabs, Carthaginians, Celts, Koreans, Mongols, Ottomans, Spanish, Vikings (Play the World manual, pp. 18-21)
Conquests (2003)	7: Byzantines, Dutch, Hittites, Incans, Mayans, Portuguese, Sumerians (GameSpot)
Each civilization has	1 leader, 2 traits, 2 starting advances, 1 unique unit
Traits	8 (6 in the base game, Agricultural and Seafaring added by Conquests)
Culture groups	5: American, Asian, European, Mediterranean, Mid East
Civilizations in one game	Up to 16, depending on map size (civ3.com FAQ)

How many civilizations are in Civ 3?

The 2001 base game ships with 16 civilizations: Americans, Aztecs, Babylonians, Chinese, Egyptians, English, French, Germans, Greeks, Indians, Iroquois, Japanese, Persians, Romans, Russians and Zulus, as the official FAQ listed them in Mar 2002. 2K's Civilization 3 page describes the game as "assuming the role of one of 16 leaders from throughout history".

Play the World added eight in 2002 (Arabs, Carthaginians, Celts, Koreans, Mongols, Ottomans, Spanish and Vikings, per the Play the World manual, pp. 18-21), and Conquests seven in 2003 (Byzantines, Dutch, Hittites, Incans, Mayans, Portuguese and Sumerians, per GameSpot's Nov 5, 2003 shipping report and its civilization showcase). Some 2003 announcements and 2K's page today say Conquests added eight, but the Complete manual's chart lists 31 in all, which makes seven.

All 31 civilizations

The table gives each civilization's leader, its two traits under Conquests rules, the two advances it starts with, its unique unit (with the standard unit it replaces) and the release that added it. Traits and starting advances are the Complete manual's chart, pp. 28-29; see Leaders for how the leader names are sourced.

Civilization	Leader	Traits (Conquests)	Starting advances	Unique unit (replaces)	Added in
Americans	Abraham Lincoln	Industrious, Expansionist	Masonry, Pottery	F-15 (Jet Fighter)	Base game
Arabs	Abu Bakr	Expansionist, Religious	Pottery, Ceremonial Burial	Ansar Warrior (Knight)	Play the World
Aztecs	Montezuma	Militaristic, Agricultural	Warrior Code, Pottery	Jaguar Warrior (Warrior)	Base game
Babylonians	Hammurabi (not confirmed)	Religious, Scientific	Ceremonial Burial, Bronze Working	Bowman (Archer)	Base game
Byzantines	Theodora	Seafaring, Scientific	Bronze Working, Alphabet	Dromon (Galley)	Conquests
Carthaginians	Hannibal	Seafaring, Industrious	Alphabet, Masonry	Numidian Mercenary (Spearman)	Play the World
Celts	Brennus	Agricultural, Religious	Pottery, Ceremonial Burial	Gallic Swordsman (Swordsman)	Play the World
Chinese	Mao Zedong	Militaristic, Industrious	Warrior Code, Masonry	Rider (Knight)	Base game
Dutch	William of Orange	Seafaring, Agricultural	Pottery, Alphabet	Swiss Mercenary (Pikeman)	Conquests
Egyptians	Cleopatra	Industrious, Religious	Masonry, Ceremonial Burial	War Chariot (Chariot)	Base game
English	Elizabeth	Seafaring, Commercial	Pottery, Alphabet	Man-o-War (Frigate)	Base game
French	Joan d'Arc	Industrious, Commercial	Masonry, Alphabet	Musketeer (Musketman)	Base game
Germans	Bismarck	Militaristic, Scientific	Warrior Code, Bronze Working	Panzer (Tank)	Base game
Greeks	Alexander	Scientific, Commercial	Bronze Working, Alphabet	Hoplite (Spearman)	Base game
Hittites	Mursilis I	Commercial, Expansionist	Pottery, Alphabet	Three-Man Chariot (Chariot)	Conquests
Incans	Pachacuti	Agricultural, Expansionist	Pottery, Masonry	Chasqui Scout (Scout)	Conquests
Indians	Gandhi	Religious, Commercial	Ceremonial Burial, Alphabet	War Elephant (Knight)	Base game
Iroquois	Hiawatha	Commercial, Agricultural	Pottery, Alphabet	Mounted Warrior (Horseman)	Base game
Japanese	Tokugawa	Militaristic, Religious (the chart prints only Militaristic)	The Wheel, Ceremonial Burial	Samurai (Knight)	Base game
Koreans	Wang Kon	Commercial, Scientific	Alphabet, Bronze Working	Hwach'a (Cannon)	Play the World
Mayans	Smoke-Jaguar	Agricultural, Industrious	Pottery, Masonry	Javelin Thrower (Archer)	Conquests
Mongols	Temujin	Expansionist, Militaristic	Warrior Code, Pottery	Keshik (Knight)	Play the World
Ottomans	Osman	Industrious, Scientific	Masonry, Bronze Working	Sipahi (Cavalry)	Play the World
Persians	Xerxes	Scientific, Industrious	Masonry, Bronze Working	Immortals (Swordsman)	Base game
Portuguese	Prince Henry the Navigator	Seafaring, Expansionist	Alphabet, Pottery	Carrack (Caravel)	Conquests
Romans	Julius Caesar	Militaristic, Commercial	Alphabet, Warrior Code	Legionary (Swordsman)	Base game
Russians	Catherine	Expansionist, Scientific	Pottery, Bronze Working	Cossack (Cavalry)	Base game
Spanish	Isabella	Seafaring, Militaristic	Alphabet, Ceremonial Burial	Conquistador (Explorer)	Play the World
Sumerians	Gilgamesh	Agricultural, Scientific	Pottery, Bronze Working	Enkidu Warrior (Warrior)	Conquests
Vikings	Ragnar Lodbrok	Seafaring, Militaristic	Alphabet, Warrior Code	Berserk (Longbowman)	Play the World
Zulus	Shaka	Militaristic, Expansionist	Pottery, Warrior Code	Impi (Spearman)	Base game

Sources: Civilization III Complete manual, pp. 28-29 (traits, starting advances, unique units); Play the World manual, pp. 18-21 (Play the World leaders); GameSpot's Conquests civilization showcase (Conquests leaders); the official site's Civ of the Week profiles (base game leaders, and Japan's Religious trait). The manual calls the Vikings "Scandanavia/Vikings" and the Dutch "Netherlands".

Starting advances

5:07 Every civilization begins the game knowing two advances, which in the base game follow its traits: Prima's official strategy guide (p. 13) pairs Commercial with Alphabet, Expansionist with Pottery, Industrious with Masonry, Militaristic with Warrior Code or The Wheel, Religious with Ceremonial Burial and Scientific with Bronze Working. The Romans, Militaristic and Commercial, start with Warrior Code and Alphabet, for example.

2:35 The pairing stopped being exact in Conquests. The Complete manual's chart kept the old advances for civilizations whose traits changed (the English, now Seafaring and Commercial, still start with Pottery and Alphabet), and no source gives a rule for the Agricultural and Seafaring civilizations. Expansionist civilizations also start with a Scout, and the Incans, per their official profile, begin with a regular Scout before building their Chasqui Scouts.

Culture groups

The civilizations fall into five culture groups: American, Asian, European, Mediterranean and Mid East. The Complete manual (p. 30) says the "Culturally Linked Start Locations" option starts each group close together, and Prima (p. 69) adds that a group shares city art and citizen looks and that its members are more tolerant of each other in negotiations.

Culture group	Base game	Play the World
American	Americans, Aztecs, Iroquois
Asian	Chinese, Indians, Japanese	Koreans, Mongols
European	English, French, Germans, Russians	Celts, Spanish, Vikings
Mediterranean	Egyptians, Greeks, Romans	Carthaginians
Mid East	Babylonians, Persians, Zulus	Arabs, Ottomans

Sources: Prima's official strategy guide, p. 69 (base game); Play the World manual, pp. 18-21. No source read gives the groups of the seven Conquests civilizations.

How traits changed in Conquests

Conquests added the Agricultural and Seafaring traits and gave them to old civilizations as well as new ones. Comparing the official profiles and the Play the World manual with the Complete manual's chart, seven civilizations changed:

Aztecs: Militaristic, Religious became Militaristic, Agricultural.
English: Expansionist, Commercial became Seafaring, Commercial.
Iroquois: Religious, Expansionist became Commercial, Agricultural.
Carthaginians: Commercial, Industrious became Seafaring, Industrious.
Celts: Militaristic, Religious became Agricultural, Religious.
Spanish: Commercial, Religious became Seafaring, Militaristic.
Vikings: Militaristic, Expansionist became Seafaring, Militaristic.

The Japanese row of the Complete chart prints only "Militaristic"; the official profile gives Militaristic and Religious, and no source says Japan lost a trait. The 2001 manual (pp. 161-162), printed before release, also differs from what shipped: it gives Rome Industrious and Militaristic, for example, where the official profile and every later source say Militaristic and Commercial. Civilization Traits has each trait's effects.

Which civ is best in Civ 3?

9:26 No source read ranks the civilizations, so this page gives none. What the sources do say is attributed. Prima (p. 75) notes that the Americans, whose F-15 arrives in the modern era, can time their golden age for the biggest empire, while the Aztec Jaguar Warrior has "little hope" beyond the ancient era. GameSpot's Play the World review called the Celts "a powerful early-game force".

Firaxis designed the civilizations to differ by era. Jeff Briggs told PC Gamer in 2020 that each unique unit marks the time a civilization was dominant, giving it "a slight advantage during their historical prime time". The traits can also be switched off: the "Allow Civ-Specific Abilities" option, in the Complete manual (p. 30), is "handy for leveling the playing field".

Frequently asked questions

How many civilizations are in Civ 3? Civilization 3 has 16 civilizations in the base game, 24 with Play the World and 31 with Conquests, as the Complete manual's chart lists. The Complete edition on Steam and GOG includes all 31.

Which civilizations did Conquests add to Civ 3? Conquests added seven civilizations to Civilization 3: the Byzantines, Dutch, Hittites, Incans, Mayans, Portuguese and Sumerians, per GameSpot. 2K's page says eight, but the manual's total of 31 makes seven.

Which civilizations did Play the World add? Play the World added eight civilizations to Civilization 3: the Arabs, Carthaginians, Celts, Koreans, Mongols, Ottomans, Spanish and Vikings, per the Play the World manual.

What is the best civ in Civ 3? No official source ranks the civilizations of Civilization 3. Prima's guide notes that a late unique unit such as the American F-15 lets a civilization delay its golden age until its empire is large, and GameSpot called the Celts "a powerful early-game force".

How many civilizations can be in one game of Civ 3? A Civilization 3 game can hold up to 16 civilizations at once, depending on map size, according to the official FAQ.

What do civilizations start with in Civ 3? Each Civilization 3 civilization starts with two advances (the Romans with Alphabet and Warrior Code, for example), and Expansionist civilizations also start with a Scout, per the Complete manual.

Can you turn off civilization traits in Civ 3? Yes: unchecking "Allow Civ-Specific Abilities" when setting up a Civilization 3 game removes every civilization's strengths, which the Complete manual (p. 30) calls handy for leveling the playing field.