I´ve often made the mistake of stumbling into a war with the Ptolies before I´m ready for it, simply by taking Lepki which the Ptolies always attacks.
Now I usually go for Iberia before Africa, and then cross the Gibraltar to attack Kart-Hadast from the east. On other areas I try to take Cisalpine Gaul, Massilia and Tolosa, but find it beast not to expand much more into Gaul. After takinng Illyria I go for the Epirotes, and if I can take out the KH and Makedones. After I´ve done all this I usually hit the Marians, and then my empire goes haywire with expansion.