Originally Posted by Doug-Thompson
The Brutii Blitz
Your goal is to conquer Greece. Therefore, your enemies are the Greek cities and Macedon.
Take everything that isn't nailed down or can be pryed loose and attack Apollonia immediately. This definitely includes your spy, your diplomat and your very best general. The rebel town is just across the straits and the Senate should give you the town as a mission objective anyway.
You will have to leave some garrison troops in Italy, of course, but keep it to a minimum. None of the other Roman factions want to start a civil war yet.
Take the Greek city of Thermon just south and east of Apollonia. When you can, take troops and build a fort at the mountain pass just north and east of Apollonia. The correct fort site will be one-turn's march for a town guard unit. Once it's built, a couple of town guards will be enough to convince the Macedonians not to break through -- if you keep them busy elsewhere.
At some point early in the game, the Senate will give you a mission to take a Carthaginian town in Sicily. Take the mission and capture the town with new troops recruited in Italy, but then massacre the inhabitants and destroy every building you can. Then put your troops back on the boats and sail them back to the real war in Greece.
I don't recommend barbarity as a rule, but this is a case of necessity. The last thing you want to do this early in the game is tie down a large garrison in a town that's in the Scipii zone of control and is just going to get you into a running fight with the Carthiginians and their navy. Do the job and get out. Furthermore, the complete looting of the town will make you very rich in early game terms. This is a very important factor. It gives you a big head start and is almost necessary to successfully fight the relatively powerful Greeks and Macedonians.
Now that the "Sicilian expedition" is over and the troops are in Greece, drive on the Macedonian town of Larissa. You have now split the Macedonians into Athens and Corinth in the south and Thessalonica in the north. Keep attacking the Macedonian armies, beating them in detail and inflicting losses while rebuilding your units every turn in Larissa.
In army jargon, you are using "interior lines" to inflict a "favorable rate of attrition" on the Macedonians by beating their little armies with your one big, army led by your best general. Also, keep pouring garrison troops out of little Apollonia. You'll need them.
When the Macedonians are weak enough, take Corinth and Athens from them. Taking Corinth will give you the Zeus wonder in Greece and some nice prestige.
Beware the Greeks who are left in Sparta. Pound them down with attrition tactics, rebuilding in Corinth and preventing revolts in Corinth and Athens with all those garrison troops from Apollonia. Take Sparta.
Now you're ready for the endgame in Greece. Force the Macedonians out of the north end of the Larissa valley. You may want to build a fort at the north end to hem the Macedonians in Thessalonica before your final push. When you're ready, take Thessalonica and then the town north of there. Any Macedonians who are left will be some fragment at an overseas colony somewhere.
Congratulations; Greece is rich, populous and the source of endless wealth and good troops. Build highways and a navy, and everything else. Build lots of "happy buildings" too. Collesiums give you the option of yearly, monthly or daily games. Frequent games are very expensive but can save you from a revolt. Don't stop attacking, though. There are still more rich provinces to be had.
I like to finish wars that I start, so I always go for the Greek provinces just across the Aegean Sea on the west coast of Asia Minor. There are no less than three wonders there (including the one at Rhodes). Capturing them will greatly enhance your prestige.
Once again, be sure to take a diplomat. Bribery is very helpful. Captains in particular are cheap to bribe. The Greeks are on their last legs by now, allowing you to pick up some family members with their small remnant armies that are cheap to bribe.
Where you go from there is up to you.