The Garamantes led by Djalla is a custom civilization by Tomatekh, with art contributions by Janboruta and Sukritact.
This mod requires Brave New World or Gods and Kings.
Overview
The Garamantes
The Garamantes were a Saharan people who used an elaborate underground irrigation system and founded a prosperous Berber kingdom in the Fezzan area of modern day Libya. They were a local power in the Sahara between 500 BC and AD 700 and traded extensively, effectively controlling trans-Saharan trade with Roman-Carthage and Egypt and perhaps even the upper peoples of ancient West Africa.
Djalla
Djalla's reign is marked with several notable conflicts with Rome and a shift in Roman eyes from viewing the Garamantes as an occasional annoyance to a potentially serious threat to their North African territories. The exact dates of Djalla's reign is a matter of debate, and it is possible that historical records have amalgamated several consecutive kings into one ruler.
Dawn of Man
"Cunning Djalla, who raids the camps at night, your people once more gather to speak your story. You rule the enigmatic Garamantes, a civilization long since lost to history beneath the never-ending sands of the Sahara. With feathers in their hair they roamed the desert, controlling trade between the Punic World and West Africa. Yet, Proud King, your people also did the impossible. Digging deep in the earth to find life-giving water, they turned the Sahara green and settled cities where no one else could. Amidst the unforgiving sands, Garama grew into a mighty kingdom that halted even the march of the Roman Empire.

Art by Janboruta
Oh, Raider of the Night! Your wells have long since dried up and foreign creeds have laid claim to your throne. It is time to dig deeper, to find the water for your water-skin, and gather the wandering tribes once more. Can you claim the shifting sands? Can you build a civilization that will stand the test of time?"
Introduction: "The faces of your brothers are already savage to kill you. What business can such a troubled people have with the King of Garama?"
Introduction: "You should flee now under the cover of night, lest your wives be seized and you find no water in your water-skin to keep you alive."
Defeat: "My people already retreat to fill our wells with sand. Do you truly believe that you can survive in these lands, let alone rule?"
Defeat: "My people have wandered the sands since before the time of your father's father. Destroying our cities does little but return us home."
Unique Attributes
The Garamantes (Djalla)
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![]() Art by Janboruta Units ignore terrain costs when moving along land Trade Routes connected to your empire and start with +1 |
![]() Art by Janboruta |
Gods and Kings: Double Movement in Desert. Can Explore Rival Territory. |
![]() Art by Sukritact |
Gods and Kings: Aghrem. Replaces Granary. +2 Strength/+25 HP. +1 Food on Oasis Tiles. No Maintenance. |
City List
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Spy List
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Strategy

The Garamantes are able to thrive in all manner of desert without a reliance on Petra (though with their desert start and bonus yields the wonder should still be a priority).
Their unique improvement, the Foggara, has the potential to offer very high food yields for your desert cities. Though limited to only desert hill tiles, these tiles are also often clumped together. The +3 Food, +2 Production, +1 Gold of these tiles can create very strong core cities. The Foggara has the added benefit of acting as a source of fresh water, further increasing the food yield of adjacent farms during the middle of the game. If you don't have a river nearby, considering settling next to a potential Foggara improvement in order to also build a garden (and potentially yield extra benefit from the 'Peace Gardens' belief). Cities settled next to Foggaras will also irrigate adjacent tiles.
The movement bonus of Garamantian unique ability, Chariot Routes, is one of the most versatile in the game. Send out a land trade route to a rival's neighbor in order to quickly move your army prior to an invasion and build Caravansaries to extend your range. Making proper use of this trait takes some extra micro-management. Consider enabling the interface to show trade routes in order to better see outgoing paths. This technique will unfortunately not show incoming routes, but these tiles can be discerned by hovering over the tile.
The Plumed Nomad will race through your local area, and is not bound by needing open borders to explore those of other civs'. This makes your exploration potential huge, particularly if you were otherwise trapped on some sort of peninsula. No maintenance cost only furthers their usefulness, saving you crucial early gold on a mandatory expense.
Music
Peace Theme | War Theme |
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Mod Support
Mod Support | |
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Yes | |
Yes | |
Community Balance Patch
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Referenced |
Yes | |
Ethnic Units
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Yes |
Yes | |
Yes | |
Yes | |
Map Labels
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Yes |
Yes | |
Yes | |
Unique Cultural Influence
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Yes |
Wish for the World
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Yes |
YnAEMP
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Yes |
Events and Decisions
Bury the Water Wells
My king, the desert terrain has proven difficult for the invading army. Though they greatly outnumber us, if we cut off their access to fresh water we may be able to break their resolve and claim victory.
Requirements/Restrictions:
- Player must be the Garamantes
- Player must be at War
- Must have built at least 3 Foggaras
- May only be enacted once per game
Costs:
Rewards:
- +1
Food and +1
Gold on Oasis Tiles
- Enemy Units that end their turn on Desert tiles within your territory take -5 HP damage
Hunt the Aethiopian Troglodytes
The cave dwellers feed off serpents and lizards and speak in a tongue like screeching bats. Now they have begun to raid our village farms and ransack passing caravans. Let us give chase and drive them from our lands!
Requirements/Restrictions:
- Player must be the Garamantes
- Must have at least 3 Military Units
- May only be enacted before the Medieval Era
- May only be enacted once per game
Costs:
Rewards:
- +10%
Combat Strength when fighting Barbarians
- A War Chariot appears near your
Capital after you research the Wheel
Note: If using JFD's Cultural Diversity, this decision requires 4 military units to accommodate the additional starting Scout.
Unique Cultural Influence
"Ostrich feathers are this season's must have fashion accessory... I worry the rest of the world will also succumb to the influence of your culture."
Full Credits List
Civfanatics Download | |
Steam Workshop | |
Latest Version: | BNW v. 73 |
Last Updated: | 6 February 2017 |
- Janboruta: Leader screen, icon, UU icon, DoM graphic
- Sukritact: UI model, icon
- JTitan: UU graphic[1]
- Andrew Holt: DoM voiceover
- Andreas Waldetoft: Peace music from Crusader Kings II, War music by Creative Assembly from Medieval II: Total War
- Tomatekh: All code and art otherwise not listed
Notes and References
Tomatekh's Civilizations | |
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BNW or G&K
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Benin • Garamantes • Goths • Hittites • Kievan Rus' • Mali • Sumer • Timurids |
BNW Only
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Caral • Champa • Harappa • Kuikuro • Mississippi • Poverty Point • Shang • Sioux • Xia |
Collaborations
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Olmec • Kilwa • Kongo |
Other Mods
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Ancient Ruin Rewards • Great Prophet Names • Great Spy • Historical Religions • Pontoon Bridge |