Overview
At a glance
Is this game right for my group?
ABG editorial scores on a 1–5 scale.
Easier to teach
High replayability
Low interaction
Scales well
Deep strategy
More strategic control
How it plays
How does it play?
Build an ancient city from roads and polyomino buildings, balance resources and population, and time monumental wonders before rivals claim them.
Core mechanisms
Key systems that shape the decisions players make.
Open Drafting
Select cards or items from a shared face-up display.
Action Points
Spend a limited allowance of points across several possible actions each turn.
Grid Coverage
Place pieces to cover required cells or patterns on a grid.
Solo / Solitaire Game
Provide rules and objectives designed for a single player.
Loans
Borrow resources now and repay them later, usually with an additional cost.
Square Grid
Use an orthogonal grid where position and adjacent spaces shape movement or placement.
Read the full game description
Spend gold each round to draft roads, buildings, and monuments into a growing ancient city. Roads extend your reach, while differently shaped buildings develop food, industry, culture, and other resources needed to place spectacular wooden wonders. Natural resources and enclosed city blocks add scoring pressure, and the shared population track makes every purchase a race toward the end of the game.