Its a bit strange that Persia wasn't present at launch given how it was once the largest empire in the world, but according to the most recent announcement that little 'mistake' will soon be getting corrected. The Persian Empire, led by Cyrus the Great, will arrive to Civilization 6 as a part of an upcoming Civilization and Scenario Pack, though the release date and pricing haven't been revealed just yet.

What the developers did reveal, however, is all of the units, upgrades, and special abilities you'll be able to mess around with. The first and most iconic feature is the Immortal, a replacement for the Swordsman that is able to fight from range, while still boasting a considerable defense. In terms of improvements you have the Pairidaeza (Persian Gardens) which proves culture, gold, appeal, and additional bonuses depending on adjacent tiles. To further help out with your economy researching Political Philosophy will give you a free trade route, as well as a bonuses to internal trade routes.

The pretty, but unpronounceable Pairidaeza

The final, and perhaps most interesting thing Persia brings to the table is an unprecedented ability to conduct sneak attacks. You not only suffer reduced diplomatic penalties for declaring surprise wars, but you also gain extra movement for your units when you do so! In other words, if you prepare your forces well you can pretty much cripple an opponent before they are even able to react!

You can check out what all of this looks like in-game via the recently posted teaser trailer. It doesn't really go in-depth about any of the topics, but it should be good enough to give you an idea of what Persia is all about. Have a look: