Good starter factions for an EB noob

[Long lost Caesar]

Regionals are actually pretty good, especially the Gauls (check the recruitment viewer) not to mention mercs aswell.

[Korlon]

Just bring your natives in using a few boats or just leg them over there. The game's pretty heavy on using regional troops, regardless of faction, and the Romani and Kart-Hadast does just that.

[/Bean\]

romes one of the easiest to start off with because, as long as your sensible, you have a great economy, and theres no need (unless you choose to at your own risk) to have more than one enemy at a time. This was you can like he said above, you can pick your enemies, and make a fortune out of trade. My advice is to stay allied with carthage for as long as possible (they make you maga rich, and your rear is basically safe) and to stop either of the gallic factions from getting too powerful. Then you can basically have free reign.