When one thinks of ancient history, the Greek Empire is likely one of the first civilizations to come to mind. Home to the concept of democracy and some of the earliest forms of advanced warfare and governance, it’s easy to see the potential appeal of the Greek Empire making an appearance in grand strategy titles. However, with certain games of the genre happening in specific timeframes, it’s interesting to see how they portray the Greek Empire, especially with its neighbors in mind.

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Thankfully, there are a multitude of titles where the Greek Empire and its various iterations can be a faction of choice for players. Due to the flexibility and dynamic nature of Greek city-states, the Greek Empire’s appearance in these grand strategy titles isn’t always the same, adding to the appeal of their portrayal in these historical titles.

8 Total War Saga: Troy

Metascore: 75

Just like how Total War: Three Kingdoms depicts the Romance of Three Kingdoms, the story of Total War Saga: Troy allows players to reenact the Trojan War as narrated in Homer’s Iliad. While much of the game’s 12th Century BC setting depicts the central conflict between the Trojan Spartans and the Greek Achaeans, players can also control other Aegean city-states that existed in the Bronze Age in the immediate vicinity.

Unique to Troy is its Epic Hero mechanic, a figurehead of each faction that never dies in combat but retreats when severely injured. Moreover, the fictionalized nature of the Iliad extends to the Total War game, wherein players may also gain favor with different gods through sacrifices, which in turn rewards different buffs. Instead of controlling “the” Greek Empire, Troy gives players control over its many city-states, each of which with different leading Heroes and objectives.

7 Total War: Rome 2 - Greek States Culture Pack

Metascore: 76

Given how Total War: Rome 2 begins in 272 BC at the height of the Roman Empire, the Greco-Roman World setting of the game showcases the complex dynamics of rivals Rome and Carthage as well as developing powers such as Ptolemaic Egypt, the Seleucid Empire, and even the up-and-coming Macedon. However, the Greek States Culture Pack gives players the opportunity to experience the interlayered politicking of Rome 2 from the perspective of Greece’s largest city-states.

The Culture Pack adds militaristic Sparta, diplomatic Athens, and cunning Epirus as factions that add a hint of nostalgia to the gameplay experience. While not necessarily the Greek Empire, each of the city-state additions offers a notable aspect of Ancient Greeks. For instance, Athens boasts better access to cultural and technological buffs, Sparta has access to more efficient manpower, while Epirus can capitalize on settlement exploitation.

6 Old World

Metascore: 80

Similar to the Civilization series, the time-defying setting of the Old World allows players to use factions across the Classical Era to dominate the known world at the time. Courtesy of traditional 4X mechanics with a blend of dynastic survival, Old World needs players to ensure that not only should their nation flourish but the dynasty that is leading it as well. On top of leaders developing traits over time, a leader’s education and skills will determine how many things they can do in combat at a time, with units themselves having a stamina system in place to determine their energy levels before tiring.

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The Greeks of Old World begin with Philip II of Macedon as leader, placing the faction’s historical context at around the 4th Century BC. The faction boasts the Hoplite and Phalangite as unique units, both of which specialize in anti-cavalry tactics. Given Greek culture back then, unique buildings are shrines dedicated to major Greek Gods, while the faction also begins with a negative opinion of Persia.

5 Hegemony 3: Clash Of The Ancients

Steam: 80%

Set in the 5th Century BC, Hegemony 3: Clash of the Ancients simulates the many historical conflicts in Ancient Greece in this time period. This is especially true when control over Greece was contested by the Persians in the Persian Wars and transferred between Athens, Sparta, and Thebes in the aftermath of the Peloponnesian War. While Macedon and the Roman Empire would become next in line as rulers of Ancient Greece, Hegemony 3 gives players the opportunity to turn the tide in decisive battles.

Compared to other grand strategy titles, Hegemony 3 pays particular attention not just to unit production and management but also maintenance through supply lines. Players who wish to maintain Greek control in the advent of Macedon and Rome’s rise may rely on the city-state’s early access to powerful units. However, early aggression is crucial for Greece as they risk losing out on the late game given their lack of access to other factions’ endgame units.

4 Age Of Empires

Metascore: 83

The Greeks forming one of the mental images associated with the word “empire” makes them a fitting faction in the first Age of Empires title. The game’s Age advancement system will take the Greeks from their origins in the Bronze Age, the height of Athens, and up until Alexander the Great’s conquest of Persia. This places the end of the Greek campaign just before the emergence of the Roman Empire.

While primarily an aggressive faction, the Greek Empire in Age of Empires suffers from a lack of potent archers and cavalry units. Moreover, their fully upgradeable defensive structures, siege weapons, and naval capabilities emphasize plays with heavy build-ups such as long campaigns instead of fast-paced matches.

3 Imperiums: Greek Wars

Metacritic User Score: 8.7

Set just when Phillip II of Macedon has set his eyes on conquering Greece after taking the throne in 359 BC, players of Imperiums: Greek Wars will attempt to capture the essence of Classical Greece prior to the arrival of historic Alexander. In the game, players encounter a burgeoning Macedon going toe to toe with Thebes and Sparta, the mighty navy of Athens, the declining Achaemenid Empire, and other smaller city-states hoping to take Greece for themselves.

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Being set in the Italian peninsula, players also get immersed in the geopolitics of the times as they’re tasked with managing not just powerful armies but also economy, trade routes, and even diplomatic concerns as leaders. Nations have different objectives based loosely on their activity at the time, and the game’s integration of myths and legends adds a supernatural appeal that makes Imperiums: Greek Wars also simulate the belief in the Greek pantheon at the time.

2 Civilization 6

Metascore:88

Compared to other grand strategy titles that focus on specific historical periods, players can take the Greek Empire in Civilization 6 from their origins after arriving in the Balkan peninsula in the game’s Ancient Era (4000 BC to 1000 BC) up to an extension of their Golden Age in the Sid Meier game’s Future Era (2020 to 2050). Played more straightforwardly than other Civs, the Greeks gain a Wildcard policy slot across all Governments to diversify their gameplay.

Moreover, they can unlock more civ-boosting civics in the early game with the Acropolis and defend themselves more in combat with cheaper Hoplite units. Depending on the leader of choice, Gorgo’s Thermopylae secures more Culture when destroying Barbarians in the early game, while Pericles’s Surrounded by Glory rakes in Culture much later based on city-states he is Suzerain of.

1 Age Of Mythology

Metascore: 89

Unlike other strategy games featuring the Greeks, Age of Mythology isn’t set under the backdrop of a historical era and instead focuses on Ancient Greece in the context of its culture and religion. Similar to the original Age of Empires, gameplay in Age of Mythology takes place across eras (Archaic, Classical, Heroic, Mythic), where advancement unlocks new technologies and units. Unique to Age of Mythology is its unique fictional campaign, that of the Atlantean admiral Arkantos and his journey across the game’s three cultures in a bid to stop Poseidon from attacking Atlantis.

The Ancient Greeks in Age of Mythology have to square off against the Egyptians and the Norse, with all factions having access to a pantheon of gods. The Greeks have access to tech and units inspired by its Hellenic Era, with its 12 Olympian Pantheon forming the faction’s selection of gods across the ages. The faction is known to be versatile and adaptable, making them the easiest to play for beginners.

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