Like message says, which civilization from ancient period pulls you in. Makes you wish you experianced it? For me it is Sumer, not sumer of neo perion after fall of akkadian empire. but Sumer of Gilgamesh time, when world was young and civilization was still forming. To been there when writing was invented, to hear first languages been spoken. To see artists, craftmen and priests. so much lost now.
Seleucid Empire, for sure. A mix of Persian and Greek is just... awesome.
I would probably go with the Roman Republic for my starting interest in historical civilizations although that has spread out to the Diadochi kingdoms, Parthia and the Archaemenid Empire.
Carthage!
The Iron age European cultures (Celts, Thracians, Iberians, etc...) also Sarmatians and to some extent the ancient Caucasian kingdoms.
For me early Sumerians imagine being there when man came together to build Uruk...just living in -dare I say it- cities ! When doing so was still in it's infancy- I have often wondered could they have realised what was changing so profoundly
The Minoans or ancient Egyptians. Minoans because of nice Aegean weather, well-planned cities with such conveniences as plumbing, bull-leaping, and women's fashion. Egypt because it is so dang epic with huge colossi statues, temples, pyramids, tombs, riches, and large colorful armies. And both of these people created great art and architecture.
Macedonia (Kingdom and Empire). For me Phillip II of Macedon was master in warfare and a revolutionary in the military creating the famous "Macedonian" Phalanx with the Sarissa and his son Alexander III, the Great improve it even more with the combine arms approach. Alexander created one of the greatest empire in a really short time to bad he died so early. His vision of uniting Greek with Barbarian's (Persians, Egyptians, Baktrians, Indians ect ect) is something I truly respect about him and very few of his Diadochi understood Even before his death he had plans to expand his empire towards Arabia and then Carthage and even Italy to some extent. I still think he was really DISAPPOINTED with the Diadochi for not standing together and wait for his son Alexander IV to become king instead they chose to fight and divided the empire into fragments culminating in paving the way for Rome to conquer them. Rome to is my second favorite civilization.
