At one point the player must choose between siding with Julius Caesar or Pompey Magnus, with missions playing out to wiping out the Optimates or building armies against the Populares.

They then choose which family to associate their character with, selecting between the Flavii, Valerii, Julii, Aemilii, or Lucii, each with unique traits that benefit the player in military, civic or economic ways.

To gain more resources, players may opt to build communities around the map, engage in trade, or purchase estates, which remain with the character for the duration of the campaign.

When players fail to satisfy the needs of their citizens, crime and disease may spread and homes may be deserted, which may lead to a chain reaction in the shortage of goods and services.

Missions will often focus on military skirmishes, allowing the player to recruit, train and command groups of units such as hastati, triarii, and auxilia.

Often, campaign maps will feature barbarian villages or war camps, which can be subjugated for additional resources or razed for money and slaves.