Board game from
Mayfair Games for 2 to 4 players.
This interesting game is inspired by the growth of city-states in early Mesopotamia (between the River Tigris and the River Euphrates), but gameplay is abstracted away from that being relevant.
Basically, the game is about getting points in the four different layers of civilization. Each player plays a dynasty with her own set of leaders. Each leader is associated with a layer of society, and is the key to scoring points in that layer:
Points are scored by adding tiles of each type when controlling the correct leader in that area. You also get points by defeating other players in conflicts between leaders.
The interesting twist in this game is how the points count. Only the lowest of the four scores counts! (Unless there's a tie, then the next lowest score counts, etc.) This means it is important to play a balanced game, which is often very difficult.
The game is in the category German Games, in that it is a chaotic game that isn't decided before the fat lady sings (so to speak). Much can change in a short time, and you are never out of the game.