Imperator

From BoardGameGeek:

Players become the emperors/kings of empires/kingdoms of the ancient world. This may appear to be a wargame, but there are numerous roads to victory, as the use of trade and economic advancement is just as likely to prevail, in the end, as territorial expansion and conquest. Imperator includes 15 scenarios set from 1700 BC to 1200 AD. Each is very different and all are playable by between 1 and 5 players, with ingenious rules to take care of the "neutral" powers; those that aren't being played by a real-life player. Very suitable for solitaire play, as well as being interesting for multiple players, you'll even take in a bit of history to boot! The game is played in Seasons, and each season brings its own challenges. Unique features such as pleas for "Divine Intervention" and "Royal Marriages" make the game that little bit different. This game is a reimplementation of King of Kings, replacing the hex-based map with area movement.