A few questions.

[orwell]

Do the colleges currently serve a purpose in the game? I haven't noticed any effects between leaving my new family members in the backwater ends of the empire and sending them to rome to learn in the... highest form of school.

Do hippodromes add a happiness bonus that isn't listed in the description?

Is there any recommended tax setting? Even on low I'm having problems keeping people happy, and I thought the one that balanced it all out was high?

Is there any factors that can cause a lot of unrest? One town doesn't have many health problems, and its only a short distance from the capital, but it has huge unrest problems.

Seems like there was more questions but I guess they weren't important.

[Sdragon]

The recommended tax setting is the level you can set just before riots happen. So it varies. When unrest is concerned it's caused by Spies and some negative traits of the general in charge (maybe some other factors too). Don’t know about the others though. I think you get better stats from the academies since I get allot of good stuff in Rome which starts with one.

[orwell]

What does the AI do so that it earns so many cheverons so quickly in battles? It's uncommon for me to gain cheverons in a battle, am I just not using them right? Also, does anyone have any additional answers to my initial questions?

[Cheexsta]

If you try autoresolving a battle, you'll find that many of your units will gain experience more quickly than if you fought the battle normally. Since the AI has no option but to autoresolve against other AI factions, their armies will gain experience more quickly than yours, but will lose more troops.

[Ludens]

Do the colleges currently serve a purpose in the game? I haven't noticed any effects between leaving my new family members in the backwater ends of the empire and sending them to rome to learn in the... highest form of school.

Yes, they certainly help your generals develop good traits, especially when compared to leaving them idle in a governed city. For example the very useful logistician trait can be acquired at an academy. However, your generals also learn from practice so even without an schooling, so they will do quite as well if you just keep them occupied. Logistics can also be learned in the field.

Is there any recommended tax setting? Even on low I'm having problems keeping people happy, and I thought the one that balanced it all out was high?

I don't think there is such a balance. You should use the one that leaves the people happy (green face) with a minimal garrison.

Is there any factors that can cause a lot of unrest? One town doesn't have many health problems, and its only a short distance from the capital, but it has huge unrest problems.

Governor's trait and the presence of brigands. Also a recent occupation will cause a lot of unrest that slowly dies down.

[Magnificant me]

I think the experiance thing comes form the way you use your troops. I tend to spred the fight across my line so no one unit takes a big hit in casualtys. I don't know how the auto resolve dose it but it kills a lot of men and then makes it easyer to get them experiance. I have found regularly puting the same unit in the middle for the front line or out on the flanks if you are fighting a battle when you are out numberd well get them more experiance beacouse those are the places where the fight is usuealy the hardest. Basicaly put them in the middle of the bigest and toufest of their line and you will get you cheverons you want.