My next game?

[Andy1984]

Carthage would be an obvious choice:
- most of your provinces are secure, as long as you keep the Ptolemaioi at bay (which shouldn't be that hard)
- a really strong economy thanks to naval trade and the possibility to expand your economy vastly by conquering the iberian peninsula
- syntagmaphalanx :)
- a wide selection of both heavy cavalry and heavy infantry: learn to use your cavalry.
- elephants :)
- the possibility to keep everyone at bay with a fleet (which is hard as a nomad or a northern barbarian)

Another reasonable choice would be another attempt at the Romani, given that you want to try again off course.