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’ve finally seen Civ7 in action, and to mark the moment, 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 one throughout, and improved graphics and animation. What remains is that same link to the history of humanity, starting in the age of antiquity and through to the future.
As I write about 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 like a significant change to how you play the game, with Firaxis drawing inspiration from the best of the decades-old series. The new game is available to pre-order, but Civ 6 is currently 90% off on Steam if you can't wait 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 different elements you’d expect within each city.
I then added a requirement for the image to look like a casual snapshot taken on a smartphone. This was after some early tests tended to lean towards drawing-style rather than photographic, even after adding the word photograph or realistic.
The final refinement was to add phrasing that discouraged the AI from simply rendering well-known buildings, such as the Colosseum in Rome, as it is today, rather than in its glory.
I have fully shared each of the prompts below so you can try them yourself. We even have a guide to using Midjourney. They will 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 mighty empire. The city was known for its architecture and cultural achievements. The town's focal point was the ziggurat of the Etemenanki and the lush Hanging Gardens. I've tried to capture that in the prompt.
The prompt: "A smartphone camera photo capturing the bustling heart of ancient Babylon at its peak. The image focuses on the newly built, towering ziggurat of the Etemenanki (Tower of Babel), fully intact and gleaming under the bright sunlight. The Hanging Gardens are lush and vibrant, cascading with greenery and flowers from freshly constructed terraces. In the foreground, the streets are alive with merchants, priests, and citizens, some in slight motion blur to suggest activity. The architecture is sharp and new, with no signs of wear. The photo includes natural lens flares from the sunlight, soft shadows, and a slight grain texture to give the image the look of a real-life smartphone photograph, capturing the energy and grandeur of Babylon."
Athens
Once a hub of philosophy, art, and commerce, Athens was the cradle of Western civilization and democracy. I've had the AI depict the Agora and newly constructed buildings in bright colors within the image. The focus is the bustling market.
The prompt: "A smartphone camera photo capturing a lively street scene in ancient Athens during its golden age. The image shows a bustling market in the Agora with newly constructed buildings in the background. The buildings are painted in bright, fresh colours, with no signs of wear or decay. Stalls are filled with fresh produce, pottery, and textiles, while Athenian citizens in clean, colourful togas walk through the scene, some mid-motion with a slight blur to suggest movement. The Parthenon is visible in the distance, newly built and gleaming in the sunlight. The image is bright, with natural light creating soft shadows and subtle lens flares, and a slight grain texture gives it the look of a realistic, candid smartphone photograph."
Rome
Rome was the center of the greatest empire of the age and one of the greatest empires in history. It was a city of such unparalleled architecture that some of it still stands today, including the iconic Colosseum.
The prompt: "A smartphone camera photo capturing a vibrant day in ancient Rome, focusing on the newly constructed Colosseum, which stands fully intact with all its arches and walls in perfect condition, showing no signs of decay or damage. The scene is taken from street level, with a lively crowd of Roman citizens in togas, 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 some slight blur to indicate activity, while key elements like a chariot or merchant stalls are in sharp focus. The image includes natural lens flares from the sunlight, a soft depth of field, and a 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 port city's peak, including the iconic Lighthouse of Alexandria.
The prompt: "A smartphone camera photo taken at the height of ancient Alexandria's prosperity, capturing the newly built Lighthouse of Alexandria standing tall and unblemished, guiding ships into the bustling port. The foreground shows a vibrant marketplace filled with scholars, merchants, and sailors, with goods displayed in vibrant 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 lens flares 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, candid feel, as if 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 the Mediterranean trade, rivaling the might of Rome. In the image, we show the harbor of Carthage filled with shops and a marketplace.
The prompt: "A smartphone camera photo capturing the bustling port city of ancient Carthage at the height of its power. The image focuses on the newly constructed harbor, known as the Cothon, with its unique circular design filled with ships ready for trade and warfare. The foreground shows a busy marketplace by the docks, with merchants, sailors, and citizens in vibrant attire, trading exotic goods from across the Mediterranean. The grand buildings and temples of Carthage rise in the background, built from rich stone and adorned with intricate carvings, all in pristine condition. The sunlight reflects off the water and the city’s structures, creating natural lens flares and warm, soft shadows. A slight motion blur on some figures suggests activity, while the overall image features a subtle grain texture, giving it the look of a candid smartphone photograph capturing the energy and grandeur of Carthage."
Petra
Petra, also known as the "Rose City," was carved into the cliffs of Jordan and was the capital city of the Nabataean Kingdom. It was a key trade hub, and the image highlights the hewn rock-cut architecture set against camels and people.
The prompt: "A smartphone camera photo capturing ancient Petra at its height, focusing on the newly carved Al-Khazneh (The Treasury), fully intact and glowing in the sunlight. The foreground shows bustling activity with traders and camels moving through the streets, some in slight motion blur to suggest movement. The rock-cut architecture of Petra is sharp and newly hewn, with no signs of wear or erosion. The narrow canyon entrance, the Siq, is vibrant with life. The sunlight creates natural shadows and lens flares, 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 height of power came during the Tang dynasty, and the image shows the vibrant life of the city, including walls and gates.
The prompt: "A smartphone camera photo capturing the bustling life of ancient Xi'an (Chang'an) during the Tang dynasty at its peak. The image focuses on the newly built city walls and gates, which are fully intact and in pristine condition, showing no signs of wear. The foreground features a vibrant Silk Road marketplace filled with merchants, goods, and Chinese officials, some in slight motion blur to suggest activity. The Wild Goose Pagoda and other newly constructed buildings stand tall in the background. The sunlight casts natural lens flares and warm reflections, with a slight grain texture to give the image a realistic, candid feel, as if taken by a smartphone in the heart of this thriving city."
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