Yes you are building there because as the highest culture producing province in Greece it becomes the capital.

It's not historical for Sparta to start forming an Empire. If they did, it's entirely believable that they might have changed their recruitment policies to adapt...

I've never seen a "builder guild" full stop.

That suggests that there should be an event/decision that fires after ~50 turns to unlock the phalanx, not that it requires becoming an empire! At the moment merc inf, merc cav, cataphracts (all of which seem to be standard empire unlocks if prohibited), heavy ships and spartan hoplites are locked b...

Why is the Spartan Hoplite locked behind the Empire form of government?

Yes on Rhodes. If you start as them you'll get an event chain to build it. first step is either to drive off a siege from or import copper to Rhodes. Second stage is to reach glorious government. In the alternative you can just build it normally - need 6 commerce buildings to be able to build Tier 3...

Must just be unlucky then this was 150-110BC, lots of other tier 3 commercial buildings came round on rotation.

What are the conditions?

Just cycled thirty odd turns of my end game Macedonia with nothing popping in Alexandria. Had other tier 3 commerce buildings come up.

My last two achievements are for building the Great Lighthouse and the Coliseum. Other than an Egyptian and Roman game, what do I need to do?

So having actually won that Macedonian game, what I think is happening is: A variety of greek provinces (presumably just for Diadochi nations) show that they can produce Silver Shields and Companions. Each province can produce 1 of each unit and only if your capital is built in that province. Once y...

Playing as Macedonia the Silver Shields and Companions are selectable to build in the province of Greece, but not buildable because my King's Palace is in Macedon. They aren't selectable to build in Macedon. I saw a similar where is your capital bug when playing as Rome when, upon upgrading to Empir...