Good points... all of them seem to point toward one thing, the major fault with the game: the "ai" is stupid as hell! Also, there is no variation (which might be a result of the poor ai).

I also suffer from this but yet I keep playing... over and over again... you musn't forget the many good aspects of the game (and I've seen a few variations in campaigns - the seleucids growing to the size and power of egypt, the romans nearly defeated by greeks and gauls (saved only thanks to me!)).