Now I know where you got your Roman temple ideas from...

[Roma_Victrix]

From what I understand (correct me if I'm wrong), the oldest surviving temples in Rome are the Temple of Hercules Victor (mid 2nd century BC) and Temple of Portunus (120-80 BC) built in the Forum Boarium of Rome.



It seems like most other temples were either started in the Principate period or were Republican-era temples that had to be rebuilt entirely after being destroyed in earthquakes and fires during the period of the Roman Empire. Either that or they're only fragments of temples and utter ruins. Take the poor Temple of Saturn for instance, which had to be rebuilt a few times and in the end is only a few pitiful pillars and a base for us to look at.

In either case I can see why you guys added so many of those rotunda-type temples in Greek and Roman cities. Plus the Portuna Temple above looks pretty much like the other standard style temple you see in the Roman settlements of EB II. Nice job, you guys! Being all faithful to the period and everything.

[Ἀπολλόδοτος Α΄ ὁ Σωτήρ]

You got that right. This historical accuracy-oriented mod got its ideas from History.

[Roma_Victrix]

You're not kidding! I mean, just look at how similar the EB II Polybian-era Roman Principes and Triarii look compared to these actual Roman bas reliefs from about 122 BC, from the Altar of Ahenobarbus:

[Roma_Victrix]

I am more curious with where the EB II team got their material for Carthage, though, considering the lack of native Punic artwork depicting Carthaginians. For that matter, how often did the Romans bother depicting them in art? It seems like most contemporary Punic art was religious and focused on things like funerary portraits in sarcophagi and bust portraits of their chief goddess Tanit (almost always, always, always TANIT).

[Roma_Victrix]

Here we can see the Mars of Todi, an Etruscan bronze statue from the late 5th to early 4th century BC, clearly imitating the nearby Greek Classical style of contrapposta. Moreover, look at the lamellar armor this guy is wearing. It looks basically identical to the Etruscan hoplites you can recruit in central and northern Italy in EB II.

[Roma_Victrix]

This is a modern artistic interpretation of Sassanid art depicting cataphracts, but it's pretty damn awesome looking nonetheless. It makes me want to play a mod set in the 3rd century! Which would be perfect timing for the Crisis of the Third Century for Rome (and the tumultuous Three Kingdoms period of ancient China too, hehe).

[Roma_Victrix]

I am stunned at how similar the EB II Etruscan hoplites look compared to these Etruscan hoplites on a funerary urn from the mid-2nd century BC!

Funerary urn with two warriors fighting in the front-panel relief, Etruscan artwork, c. 150 BC, Casa Buonarroti, Florence


Now if only we could add naval battles to the Medieval II engine. I've seen it done before for a Mongolian Asian war mod, I believe (can't remember the name of it now).

A Roman naval bireme depicted in a relief from the Temple of Fortuna Primigenia in Praeneste, which was built c. 120 BC. Exhibited in the Pius-Clementine Museum (Museo Pio-Clementino) in the Vatican Museums.

[wermez]

Thorakitai - Stelle of Dioskourides
Carian infantry - Mosaic of Palestrina
Various Gettae units - Column of Trajan

[Roma_Victrix]

^ Thanks for pointing that out!

To those I will add the frescos of the Lucanian tomb of Paestum, 4th century BC:
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/C...nale_(Paestum)

[wermez]

Dont forget the Samnites from Nola tomb used for Sabellian cavalry too.
Kazanlak tombs for thracian cavalrymen.
Bactrian coins of Eucratides for horsemen with palms on their back.

[Dayve]

Don't forget... if you start a game as a Pritanoi, open building browser and right-click on the mines (I forget if its level 1 or level 2), the picture of the mine is a screenshot from Skyrim xD

[Roma_Victrix]

You scoff at Skyrim, sir, yet Skyrim is a valuable primary source on the pre-Roman period of Great Britain. So good day to you sir, GOOD DAY.

[Dayve]

You scoff at Skyrim, sir, yet Skyrim is a valuable primary source on the pre-Roman period of Great Britain. So good day to you sir, GOOD DAY.

I didn't scoff! I actually found it hilarious when I noticed it for the first time the other day. I kind of blinked and leaned in closer to my screen... then I fondly remembered how I put the naked looted corpse of the guard who sits outside that mine in the little wooden cart several times, usually with both legs hanging over the side for comedic effect.

In fact, the team should've put that in the picture too!