Players in Humankind distinguish themselves based on the culture they select during the Ancient Era, which sets the stage for their development in the ages to come. Each culture gives a distinct archetype, with defined strengths, mechanics, and unique units. Generally speaking, the archetypes are based on the affinities, as follows:

  • Aesthete: Cultures that focusing on Influence and diplomacy.Aesthetes include the following culturesOlmecsZhouMauryansFranksEdo JapaneseMingAustro-HungariansItalioansEgyptiansIndians

  • Agrarian: Cultures that focusing on Food and Population growth.Agrarians include the following cultures:EnglishHaudenosauneeMexicansBrazilliansTurksHarappansCelts

  • Builder: Cultures that focusing on Industry and District constructions.Builders include the following cultures:EgyptiansMayaKhmerMughalsPersiansSiameseAustralians

  • Expansionist: Cultures that focusing on Territory expansions.Expansionists include the following culturesAchaemenid PersiansRomansTeutonsOttomansSpanishBritishRussiansAmericansSoviets

  • Merchant: Cultures that focusing on Money and Trade.Merchants include the following culturesNubiansPhoeniciansAksumitesCarthaginiansByzantinesGhanaiansDutchVenetiansChinese

  • Militarist: Cultures that focusing on Unit and War.Militarists include the following cultures:HittitesMycanaeansGothsHunsAztecsMongolsNorsemenPolesGermansZulu

  • Scientist: Cultures that focusing on Science and Technology.Scientists include the following culturesBabyloniansUmayyadsJoseonFrenchJapaneseSwedes

  • Aesthetes include the following culturesOlmecsZhouMauryansFranksEdo JapaneseMingAustro-HungariansItalioansEgyptiansIndians

  • OlmecsZhouMauryansFranksEdo JapaneseMingAustro-HungariansItalioansEgyptiansIndians

  • Agrarians include the following cultures:EnglishHaudenosauneeMexicansBrazilliansTurksHarappansCelts

  • EnglishHaudenosauneeMexicansBrazilliansTurksHarappansCelts

  • Builders include the following cultures:EgyptiansMayaKhmerMughalsPersiansSiameseAustralians

  • EgyptiansMayaKhmerMughalsPersiansSiameseAustralians

  • Expansionists include the following culturesAchaemenid PersiansRomansTeutonsOttomansSpanishBritishRussiansAmericansSoviets

  • Achaemenid PersiansRomansTeutonsOttomansSpanishBritishRussiansAmericansSoviets

  • Merchants include the following culturesNubiansPhoeniciansAksumitesCarthaginiansByzantinesGhanaiansDutchVenetiansChinese

  • NubiansPhoeniciansAksumitesCarthaginiansByzantinesGhanaiansDutchVenetiansChinese

  • Militarists include the following cultures:HittitesMycanaeansGothsHunsAztecsMongolsNorsemenPolesGermansZulu

  • HittitesMycanaeansGothsHunsAztecsMongolsNorsemenPolesGermansZulu

  • Scientists include the following culturesBabyloniansUmayyadsJoseonFrenchJapaneseSwedes

  • BabyloniansUmayyadsJoseonFrenchJapaneseSwedes