Civilization has been my favorite game series since I first played it on an Amiga in the early 90s. It combines addictive gameplay with a sense of history. We finally saw Civ7 in action, and to mark the occasion I used AI to “imagine” 7 ancient cities.
With Civ7, we have better multiplayer gameplay, a new civilization at each era change rather than playing just one throughout the game, and improved graphics and animations. What remains is that same connection to the history of humanity, from ancient times to the future.
Since I write and use AI tools every day, I thought I'd combine my two passions and generate a series of images showing what an ancient city might look like if captured by a phone camera.
Civilization 7 looks to be a significant shift in how you play the game, with Firaxis taking inspiration from the best of the decades-old series. The new game is available for pre-order, but Civ 6 is currently 90% off on Steam if you're eager to play.
Creating images of 7 ancient cities
To generate the images, I first asked ChatGPT to refine my prompts, being as descriptive as possible about the different elements expected in each city.
I then added a requirement that the image look like a snapshot taken with a smartphone. This came about after some early tests tended to lean towards the drawing style rather than photographic, even after adding the word photograph or realistic.
The final refinement was to add wording that discouraged the AI from simply rendering well-known buildings, like the Colosseum in Rome, as they are today, rather than in their full glory.
I’ve shared each of the prompts in full below so you can try them out for yourself. We even have a guide to using Midjourney. They’ll work with any AI image or video platform. The video at the top of the page was the Athens image animated using Runway.
Babylon
Babylon was one of the most legendary cities of ancient Mesopotamia and the heart of a powerful empire. The city was known for its architecture and cultural achievements. The focal point of the city was the Etemenanki ziggurat and the lush hanging gardens. I tried to capture this in the prompt.
English:The subject: “A smartphone photo captures the bustling heart of ancient Babylon at its peak. The image focuses on the newly constructed ziggurat of the Etemenanki (Tower of Babel), fully intact and gleaming in the bright sunlight. The hanging gardens are lush and vibrant, bursting with greenery and flowers from newly constructed terraces. In the foreground, the streets are bustling with merchants, priests, and citizens, some in a slight motion blur to suggest activity. The architecture is crisp and new, with no signs of wear. The photo includes natural lens flare from sunlight, soft shadows, and a slight grain texture to give the image the appearance of a real smartphone photograph, capturing the energy and grandeur of Babylon.”
Athens
Once a center of philosophy, art, and commerce, Athens was the cradle of Western civilization and democracy. I asked the AI to depict the Agora and newly constructed buildings in bright colors in the image. The focus is on the bustling marketplace.
English:The subject: “A smartphone photo captures a bustling street scene in ancient Athens during its golden age. The image shows a busy market in the Agora with newly constructed buildings in the background. The buildings are painted in bright, fresh colors, with no signs of wear or decay. Stalls are filled with fresh produce, pottery, and textiles, while Athenian citizens in clean, colorful togas stroll through the scene, some in full motion with a slight blur to suggest movement. The Parthenon is visible in the distance, newly constructed and glistening in the sunlight. The image is bright, with natural light creating soft shadows and subtle highlights, and a slight grain texture gives it the appearance of a realistic, spontaneous smartphone photograph.”
Rome
Rome was the center of the largest empire of its time and one of the largest empires in history. It was a city with such unparalleled architecture that some of its elements still stand today, including the iconic Colosseum.
English:The subject: “A smartphone photo captures a busy day in ancient Rome, focusing on the newly constructed Colosseum, which stands entirely intact with all its arches and walls in pristine condition, showing no signs of decay or damage. The scene is taken from street level, with a bustling crowd of toga-clad Roman citizens, chariots, and merchants in the foreground. The Colosseum is the centerpiece, its stone structure gleaming in the sunlight. The foreground features people in motion, with a slight blur to indicate activity, while key elements like a chariot and merchant stalls are sharply focused. The image includes natural lens flare from sunlight, a soft depth of field, and subtle grain to mimic the look of a candid smartphone photograph, capturing the energy and grandeur of Rome at its peak.”
Alexandria
Alexandria was founded by Alexander the Great, a center of learning and culture in the ancient world. The generated image shows the top of the port city, including the iconic Lighthouse of Alexandria.
English:The subject: “A photo taken with a smartphone at the height of ancient Alexandria's prosperity, capturing the newly constructed Lighthouse of Alexandria standing unblemished, guiding ships into the bustling harbor. The foreground shows a bustling marketplace filled with scholars, merchants, and sailors, with wares displayed in bright colors. The Great Library and other buildings are visible, all in pristine condition with no signs of decay. The Mediterranean Sea sparkles in the sunlight, creating natural highlights and warm reflections. The image features slight motion blur on some figures to suggest activity, and a subtle grain texture to give it a realistic and candid feel, as if it were taken by a smartphone in the heart of the ancient city.”
Carthage
Carthage was a powerful city-state in North Africa and a major player in Mediterranean trade, rivaling the power of Rome. In the image we see the port of Carthage filled with shops and a market.
English:The subject: “A smartphone photo captures the bustling port city of ancient Carthage at the height of its power. The image focuses on the newly constructed harbor, known as Cothon, with its unique circular design filled with ships ready for trade and war. The foreground shows a bustling market near the docks, with merchants, sailors, and colorfully attired citizens trading exotic goods from across the Mediterranean. The grand buildings and temples of Carthage rise in the background, built of rich stone and adorned with intricate carvings, all in pristine condition. Sunlight reflects off the water and city structures, creating natural highlights and warm, soft shadows. A slight motion blur on some figures suggests activity, while the overall image has a subtle grain texture, giving it the appearance of a spontaneous smartphone photograph capturing the energy and grandeur of Carthage.”
Petra
Petra, also known as the “Pink City,” was carved into the cliffs of Jordan and was the capital of the Nabataean Kingdom. It was a key trading center, and the image highlights the rock-cut architecture with camels and people.
English:The subject: “A smartphone photo captures ancient Petra at its peak, focusing on the newly carved Al-Khazneh (the Treasury), fully intact and glistening in the sunlight. The foreground shows bustling activity with traders and camels moving through the streets, some with a slight motion blur to suggest movement. Petra's rock-cut architecture is crisp and freshly carved, with no signs of wear or erosion. The narrow canyon entrance, the Siq, is teeming with life. Sunlight creates natural shadows and lens flare, while a slight grain texture gives the image a candid, smartphone-like quality, capturing the majesty and liveliness of ancient Petra.”
Xi'an
Xi'an was the eastern terminus of the Silk Road and was once one of the most important cities in ancient China. Its heyday came during the Tang Dynasty, and the image shows the bustling city life, including the walls and gates.
English:The subject: “A photo taken with a smartphone captures the bustling life of ancient Xi'an (Chang'an) during the Tang Dynasty at its height. The image focuses on the newly constructed city walls and gates, which are fully intact and in pristine condition, showing no signs of wear and tear. The foreground shows a bustling Silk Road market filled with merchants, goods, and Chinese officials, some with slight motion blur to suggest activity. The Wild Goose Pagoda and other newly constructed buildings stand tall in the background. The sunlight casts natural highlights and warm reflections, with a slight grain texture to give the image a realistic and spontaneous feel, as if it were taken by a smartphone in the heart of this thriving city.”