Mare Nostrum / Similar games

18 games like Mare Nostrum

The best games like Mare Nostrum are Civilization, 7 Wonders and Advanced Civilization — the closest of 18 ranked alternatives, scored by shared mechanics and category. Civilization shares ancient, civilization, economic with Mare Nostrum.

Every alternative below links to its own Mare Nostrum-style fact page, drawn from MeeplePick’s ancient / civilization shelf.

Ranked by shared category (3 pts) and mechanics (2 pts), bonus within 0.7 of Mare Nostrum’s 3.0 weight, then BoardGameGeek’s Bayesian rating — one entry per series, 18 shown.

As an Amazon Associate, MeeplePick earns from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you.

1. 1. Civilization (1980)
   2–7 players · 360 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium-heavy · games like Civilization →
   Shares with Mare Nostrum: Ancient, Civilization, Economic, Area Majority / Influence, Set Collection, Trading · 3 of Mare Nostrum’s 5 mechanics (60%)
   vs Mare Nostrum: overlaps at 3–5 players · goes down to 2 · scales to 7 · ~240 min longer · +0.7 heavier
   View Civilization on Amazon →
2. 2. 7 Wonders (2010)
   2–7 players · 30 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium-light · games like 7 Wonders →
   Shares with Mare Nostrum: Ancient, Civilization, Economic, Set Collection, Variable Player Powers · 2 of Mare Nostrum’s 5 mechanics (40%)
   vs Mare Nostrum: overlaps at 3–5 players · goes down to 2 · scales to 7 · ~90 min shorter · 0.7 lighter
   View 7 Wonders on Amazon →
3. 3. Advanced Civilization (1991)
   2–8 players · 360–480 min · ★ 8.0 · Medium-heavy · games like Advanced Civilization →
   Shares with Mare Nostrum: Ancient, Civilization, Economic, Set Collection, Trading · 2 of Mare Nostrum’s 5 mechanics (40%)
   vs Mare Nostrum: overlaps at 3–5 players · goes down to 2 · scales to 8 · ~300 min longer · +0.7 heavier
   View Advanced Civilization on Amazon →
4. 4. Clash of Cultures (2012)
   2–4 players · 180–240 min · ★ 7.6 · Medium-heavy · games like Clash of Cultures →
   Shares with Mare Nostrum: Ancient, Civilization, Economic, Area Majority / Influence, Dice Rolling · 2 of Mare Nostrum’s 5 mechanics (40%)
   vs Mare Nostrum: overlaps at 3–4 players · goes down to 2 · ~90 min longer · +0.6 heavier
5. 5. Polis Fight for the Hegemony (2012)
   2 players · 90–120 min · ★ 7.6 · Medium-heavy
   Shares with Mare Nostrum: Ancient, Civilization, Economic, Area Majority / Influence, Dice Rolling · 2 of Mare Nostrum’s 5 mechanics (40%)
   vs Mare Nostrum: no player-count overlap (2–2 vs 3–5) · goes down to 2 · ~15 min shorter · +0.7 heavier
6. 6. Mega Civilization (2015)
   5–18 players · 360–720 min · ★ 8.2 · Medium-heavy
   Shares with Mare Nostrum: Ancient, Civilization, Economic, Set Collection, Trading · 2 of Mare Nostrum’s 5 mechanics (40%)
   vs Mare Nostrum: both play at 5 · scales to 18 · ~420 min longer · +0.7 heavier
7. 7. Donning the Purple (2018)
   1–3 players · 70–90 min · ★ 7.2 · Medium
   Shares with Mare Nostrum: Ancient, Civilization, Economic, Area Majority / Influence, Dice Rolling, Variable Player Powers · 3 of Mare Nostrum’s 5 mechanics (60%)
   vs Mare Nostrum: both play at 3 · plays solo · ~40 min shorter · same complexity
8. 8. Tigris & Euphrates (1997)
   2–4 players · 90 min · ★ 7.7 · Medium-heavy · games like Tigris & Euphrates →
   Shares with Mare Nostrum: Ancient, Civilization, Area Majority / Influence, Set Collection · 2 of Mare Nostrum’s 5 mechanics (40%)
   vs Mare Nostrum: overlaps at 3–4 players · goes down to 2 · ~30 min shorter · +0.5 heavier
9. 9. Civilization West Extension Map (1986)
   2–7 players · 360 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium
   Shares with Mare Nostrum: Ancient, Civilization, Economic, Set Collection, Trading · 2 of Mare Nostrum’s 5 mechanics (40%)
   vs Mare Nostrum: overlaps at 3–5 players · goes down to 2 · scales to 7 · ~240 min longer · +0.3 heavier
10. 10. Cyclades (2009)
    2–5 players · 60–90 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium · games like Cyclades →
    Shares with Mare Nostrum: Ancient, Civilization, Area Majority / Influence, Dice Rolling · 2 of Mare Nostrum’s 5 mechanics (40%)
    vs Mare Nostrum: overlaps at 3–5 players · goes down to 2 · ~45 min shorter · 0.2 lighter
11. 11. The Manhattan Project Energy Empire (2016)
    1–5 players · 60–120 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium · games like The Manhattan Project Energy Empire →
    Shares with Mare Nostrum: Civilization, Economic, Dice Rolling, Variable Player Powers · 2 of Mare Nostrum’s 5 mechanics (40%)
    vs Mare Nostrum: overlaps at 3–5 players · plays solo · ~30 min shorter · same complexity
12. 12. Twilight Imperium Fourth Edition (2017)
    3–6 players · 240–480 min · ★ 8.7 · Heavy · games like Twilight Imperium Fourth Edition →
    Shares with Mare Nostrum: Civilization, Economic, Area Majority / Influence, Dice Rolling · 2 of Mare Nostrum’s 5 mechanics (40%)
    vs Mare Nostrum: overlaps at 3–5 players · scales to 6 · ~240 min longer · +1.2 heavier
13. 13. Atlantis Rising (Second Edition) (2019)
    1–7 players · 60–120 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium-light
    Shares with Mare Nostrum: Ancient, Civilization, Dice Rolling, Variable Player Powers · 2 of Mare Nostrum’s 5 mechanics (40%)
    vs Mare Nostrum: overlaps at 3–5 players · plays solo · scales to 7 · ~30 min shorter · 0.5 lighter
14. 14. Barbarians The Invasion (2018)
    1–4 players · 90 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium
    Shares with Mare Nostrum: Civilization, Economic, Area Majority / Influence, Set Collection, Variable Player Powers · 3 of Mare Nostrum’s 5 mechanics (60%)
    vs Mare Nostrum: overlaps at 3–4 players · plays solo · ~30 min shorter · +0.3 heavier
15. 15. Yellow & Yangtze (2018)
    2–4 players · 90 min · ★ 7.9 · Medium
    Shares with Mare Nostrum: Ancient, Civilization, Area Majority / Influence, Set Collection · 2 of Mare Nostrum’s 5 mechanics (40%)
    vs Mare Nostrum: overlaps at 3–4 players · goes down to 2 · ~30 min shorter · same complexity
16. 16. Empires of the Void II (2018)
    2–5 players · 90–180 min · ★ 7.5 · Medium
    Shares with Mare Nostrum: Civilization, Economic, Area Majority / Influence, Dice Rolling · 2 of Mare Nostrum’s 5 mechanics (40%)
    vs Mare Nostrum: overlaps at 3–5 players · goes down to 2 · ~15 min longer · +0.5 heavier
17. 17. Parthenon Rise of the Aegean (2005)
    3–6 players · 120 min · ★ 6.3 · Medium
    Shares with Mare Nostrum: Ancient, Civilization, Economic, Set Collection, Trading · 2 of Mare Nostrum’s 5 mechanics (40%)
    vs Mare Nostrum: overlaps at 3–5 players · scales to 6 · about the same length · same complexity
18. 18. Race for the Galaxy (2007)
    2–4 players · 30–60 min · ★ 7.8 · Medium · games like Race for the Galaxy →
    Shares with Mare Nostrum: Civilization, Economic, Set Collection · 1 of Mare Nostrum’s 5 mechanics (20%)
    vs Mare Nostrum: overlaps at 3–4 players · goes down to 2 · ~75 min shorter · same complexity

Looking for the original? See the full Mare Nostrum fact page — players, play time, age and complexity.