There are 34 civilizations and 52 leaders total in Civilization IV. Some civilizations have three leaders, others have two, and a few have just one. Unlike Civilization III, in Civ4 the traits are associated with the leaders, not with the civilization. Each leader has two traits. Each trait provides a unique bonus and usually cuts the hammer cost of one or two city improvements by half.
In addition, each civilization has a unique flag and its units will speak in the civilization’s language when clicked (like in RTS games). Every civilization has their own unique unit and unique building, both of which give an additional bonus. To view the specifics about these unique aspects of each civilization, visit the Units and City Improvements pages.
NOTE: Information in this section is correct as of Beyond the Sword v3.17.
The Leader Traits:
Trait |
Benefit |
Aggressive |
Free Combat I promotion for melee and gunpowder units.
Double production speed of Barracks and Drydock. |
Creative |
+2 culture per city.
Double production speed of Library, Theater, and Colosseum. |
Expansive |
+2 health per city.
Double production speed of Granary and Harbor.
25% faster production of Workers. |
Financial |
+1 commerce on plots with at least 2 commerce. |
Industrious |
Wonder production increased 50 percent.
Double production speed of Forge. |
Organized |
Civic upkeep reduced 50 percent.
Double production speed of Lighthouse, Factory, and Courthouse. |
Philosophical |
Great People birth rate increased 100 percent.
Double production speed of University. |
Spiritual |
No anarchy.
Double production speed of Temples and the Cristo Redentor wonder. |
Imperialistic |
Great General emergence increased 100 percent.
50% faster production of Settlers. |
Protective |
Free Drill I and City Garrison I promotions for archery and gunpowder units.
Double production speed of Walls and Castle. |
Charismatic |
+1 happiness per city.
-25% XP needed for unit promotions.
+1 happiness from Monument and Broadcast Tower. |
The 34 Civilizations:
Note: Click a leader icon to see the large leader portrait. All information is for the Beyond the Sword expansion pack, version 3.17, except for the "Original Traits" column, which refers to the traits of some leaders in the original game without expansion packs, as some leaders’ traits were changed in Warlords and Beyond the Sword. If there is only one set of traits, either that leader came in one of the expansion packs or has not had their traits modified.
Civilization |
Unique Unit |
Unique Building |
Starting Techs |
Leader |
Traits |
Original Traits |
Favorite Civic |
America
|
Navy SEAL
|
Mall
|
Fishing
Agriculture
|
George Washington
|
Expansive Charismatic
|
Financial Organized
|
Free Speech
|
Franklin D. Roosevelt
|
Industrious Organized
|
–
|
Mercantilism
|
Abraham Lincoln
|
Philosophical Charismatic
|
–
|
Emancipation
|
Arabia
|
Camel Archer
|
Madrassa
|
Mysticism
The Wheel
|
Saladin
|
Protective Spiritual
|
Philosophical Spiritual
|
Theocracy
|
Aztecs
|
Jaguar
|
Sacrificial Altar
|
Mysticism
Hunting
|
Montezuma
|
Aggressive Spiritual
|
–
|
Police State
|
Babylon
|
Bowman
|
Garden
|
The Wheel
Agriculture
|
Hammurabi
|
Aggressive Organized
|
–
|
Bureaucracy
|
Byzantium
|
Cataphract
|
Hippodrome
|
The Wheel
Mysticism
|
Justinian I
|
Spiritual Imperialistic
|
–
|
Theocracy
|
Carthage
|
Numidian Cavalry
|
Cothon
|
Fishing
Mining
|
Hannibal
|
Financial Charismatic
|
–
|
Free Market
|
Celts
|
Gallic Warrior
|
Dun
|
Mysticism
Hunting
|
Boudica
|
Agressive Charismatic
|
–
|
Universal Suffrage
|
Brennus
|
Spiritual Charismatic
|
–
|
Organized Religion
|
China
|
Cho-Ku-Nu
|
Pavilion
|
Agriculture
Mining
|
Mao Zedong
|
Expansive Protective
|
Philosophical Organized
|
State Property
|
Qin Shi Huang
|
Industrious Protective |
Industrious Financial |
Bureaucracy |
Dutch
|
East Indiaman
|
Dike
|
Fishing
Agriculture
|
Willem van Oranje
|
Financial Creative
|
–
|
Free Religion
|
Egypt
|
War Chariot
|
Obelisk
|
Agriculture
The Wheel |
Hatshepsut
|
Spiritual Creative |
– |
Organized Religion |
Ramesses II
|
Spiritual Industrious |
– |
Organized Religion |
England
|
Redcoat
|
Stock Exchange
|
Fishing
Mining
|
Victoria
|
Imperialistic Financial
|
Financial Expansive
|
Representation
|
Elizabeth
|
Philosophical Financial
|
–
|
Free Religion
|
Churchill
|
Charismatic Protective
|
–
|
Nationhood
|
Ethiopia
|
Oromo Warrior
|
Stele
|
Hunting
Mining
|
Zara Yaqob
|
Creative Organized
|
–
|
Theocracy
|
France
|
Musketeer
|
Salon
|
Agriculture
The Wheel
|
Louis XIV
|
Creative Industrious
|
–
|
Hereditary Rule
|
Napoleon
|
Organized Charismatic
|
Agressive Industrious
|
Representation
|
De Gaulle
|
Industrious Charismatic
|
–
|
Nationhood
|
Germany
|
Panzer
|
Assembly Plant
|
Hunting
Mining
|
Frederick
|
Philosophical Organized
|
Philosophical Creative
|
Universal Suffrage
|
Bismarck
|
Expansive Industrious
|
–
|
Nationhood
|
Greece
|
Phalanx
|
Odeon
|
Fishing
Hunting
|
Alexander
|
Aggressive Philosophical
|
–
|
Vassalage
|
Pericles
|
Creative Philosophical
|
–
|
Representation
|
Holy Roman Empire
|
Landsknecht
|
Rathaus
|
Hunting
Mysticism
|
Charlemagne
|
Protective Imperialistic
|
–
|
Vassalage
|
Inca
|
Quechua
|
Terrace
|
Agriculture
Mysticism
|
Huayna Capac
|
Financial Industrious
|
Agressive Financial
|
Hereditary Rule
|
India
|
Fast Worker
|
Mausoleum
|
Mysticism
Mining
|
Gandhi
|
Spiritual Philosophical
|
Spiritual Industrious
|
Universal Suffrage
|
Asoka
|
Organized Spiritual
|
–
|
Free Religion
|
Japan
|
Samurai
|
Shale Plant
|
Fishing
The Wheel
|
Tokugawa
|
Aggressive Protective
|
Aggressive Organized
|
Mercantilism
|
Khmer
|
Ballista Elephant
|
Baray
|
Hunting
Mining
|
Suryavarman II
|
Expansive Creative
|
–
|
Organized Religion
|
Korea
|
Hwacha
|
Seowon
|
Mysticism
Mining
|
Wang Kon
|
Financial Protective
|
–
|
Caste System
|
Mali
|
Skirmisher
|
Mint
|
Mining
The Wheel
|
Mansa Musa
|
Financial Spiritual
|
–
|
Free Market
|
Maya
|
Holkan
|
Ball Court
|
Mysticism
Mining
|
Pacal II
|
Financial Expansive
|
–
|
Hereditary Rule
|
Mongolia
|
Keshik
|
Ger
|
Hunting
The Wheel
|
Genghis Khan
|
Aggressive Imperialistic
|
Aggressive Expansive
|
Police State
|
Kublai Khan
|
Aggressive Creative
|
–
|
Bureaucracy
|
Native Americans
|
Dog Soldier
|
Totem Pole
|
Fishing
Agriculture
|
Sitting Bull
|
Philosophical Protective
|
–
|
Environmentalism
|
Ottomans
|
Janissary
|
Hammam
|
Agriculture
The Wheel
|
Mehmed II
|
Expansive Organized
|
–
|
Vassalage
|
Suleiman
|
Philosophical Imperialistic
|
–
|
Hereditary Rule
|
Persia
|
Immortal
|
Apothecary
|
Agriculture
Hunting
|
Cyrus
|
Imperialistic Charismatic
|
Expansive Creative
|
Vassalage
|
Darius I
|
Organized Financial
|
–
|
Free Religion
|
Portugal
|
Carrack
|
Feitoria
|
Fishing
Mining
|
Joao II
|
Imperialistic Expansive
|
–
|
Hereditary Rule
|
Rome
|
Praetorian
|
Forum
|
Fishing
Mining
|
Julius Caesar
|
Imperialistic Organized
|
Expansive Organized
|
Representation
|
Augustus Caesar
|
Industrious Imperialistic
|
–
|
Representation
|
Russia
|
Cossack
|
Research Institute
|
Hunting
Mining
|
Catherine
|
Imperialistic Creative
|
Financial Creative
|
Hereditary Rule
|
Peter
|
Expansive Philosophical
|
–
|
Bureaucracy
|
Stalin
|
Agressive Industrious
|
–
|
State Property
|
Spain
|
Conquistador
|
Citadel
|
Fishing
Mysticism
|
Isabella
|
Expansive Spiritual
|
–
|
Theocracy
|
Sumeria
|
Vulture
|
Ziggurat
|
Agriculture
The Wheel
|
Gilgamesh
|
Creative Protective
|
–
|
Hereditary Rule
|
Vikings
|
Beserker
|
Trading Post
|
Fishing
Hunting
|
Ragnar
|
Aggressive Financial
|
–
|
Hereditary Rule
|
Zulu
|
Impi
|
Ikhanda
|
Agriculture
Hunting
|
Shaka
|
Agressive Expansive
|
–
|
Police State
|
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