Just something of note. A Civilization is not neccessarily an Empire , but an Empire is often a Civilization.
People tend to use these words interchangably, and they may be right to use them most of the time, but they may also think they are one in the same.
Here are a few definiations of empire. They are all similar, but I think having a few definitions should clear up any misunderstandings
1. a group of countries under a single authority: "the Roman empire"
2. A political unit having an extensive territory or comprising a number of territories or nations and ruled by a single supreme authority.
3. The dominion of an emperor; the territory or countries under the jurisdiction and dominion of an emperor (rarely of a king), usually of greater extent than a kingdom, always comprising a variety in the nationality of, or the forms of administration in, constituent and subordinate portions; as, the Austrian empire.
Hence your Civilization is not technically an Empire until you conquer another Civilization's city. A barbarian Tribe joins you by creatring a City, a barbarian tribe joins you by creating a settler.
But there are also one thing that isn't really part of the gameplay but can be viewed as an Empire.
In the strategy forums, randomturn has posted as party of his Diety strategy
click here , something called a
Vassal State Strategy, which essentially is when you beat up a Rival Civ so badly they will do anything to make peace, including give you large sums of gold, techs, luxuries. Not only do you collect more gold that occupying their cities (because of corruption) the fact that these Civs will most likely pay you for peace for the rest of the game means they are effectively under your control. Under that definition, your Civ is truly an Empire as you not only control your own affairs within your borders, you have brought in another civilization that is not inside your "core" borders under your control.
I find this idea of a Vassal state to be awesome
It is really an accident the way you can have Civs kawtow to you and pay you, but yes, it is an effective way to control enitre civilizations without having to go to war and killing them off completely.
