We often wonder how they do the other peoples to be far ahead of us in terms of knowledge. One of the best tricks is to find out as soon as possible technology "Alphabet" ,
that allows us to convert the entire production of a city in Science, decimating the shifts that are used to find a technology. If you are not at war, and created a library in a city, maybe put a great Scientist, and convert it to science, see the shifts needed to find a technology that dramatically decrease (from 15 to 5 I've tried). If you do not find the alphabet in the early stages of the game, bitterly regret it, especially if the number of cities will increase (thus increasing maintenance costs of the city away from the palace, you can study less and you will discover a tecnolofia every 40-50 shifts, with the word "end" to your game before you start).
A second thing I discovered, with the Romans that if you have the wonder of "the Apostolic Palace," every religious building (temple, monastery, cathedral) gives two more hammer production. If we could build the "University of Shankore" he adds, for each of them, two hourglasses of science. A real godsend.
