Firstly, I think every nation can kick every elses' ass, it's a matter of playing well or playing badly.
- It's true that Rome and Selucia have very powerfull militaries; but, so does Greece (ever fought a Spartan Hoplite?), Carthage and especially Egypt.
Which leads me to another aside; these nations where powerfully historically as well. If this game is set in these times it has to be accurate, the Romans did have good everything, the Selucids did use Elephants and Cataphracts. When they made this game they didn't just pull things out of thin air.
- Rome's military isn't all that tough, Legionariies are actually fairly easy to rout with Phalanx's and Cavalry. You just have to learn how to best fight them.
- and the 'Barbarian' nations are by no means helpless! Berzerkers, Druids, Chariots, Foresters- these are the equal of any top notch Roman units.
- Parthia has been statistically proven to be able the most powerfull factions, online players have obscene success with the Parthian horse archers, which are nigh on impossible to beat in the hands of a skilled player. Parthia have Elephants, Perisan Cavalry and Cataphract horses and camels- I've tried invading Parthia as an infantry heavy western nation; it does not work.
- Carthaginian infantry arent' weak...? Sacred Band, Poeni Infantry? Even Iberian ifnantry are good, they have unusally high melee attack for their tech-tree rank, they aren't supposed to be heavilly armored beasts, but nimble agile fighters.
- And finally... Germans, poor in cavalry? Have you ever used Gothic cavalry.
I'll concede that sometimes Carthage has weak(er) infantry than, say, top Roman Legionaries and at early stages it is a struggle, but it soon because a lot easier.