Anno 117: Pax Romana Guide | How to Start Research Early

Here’s a guide on how to start research early in Anno 117: Pax Romana.

Game Guide by TauxicPandA on Dec 14, 2025

Research in Anno 117: Pax Romana progresses alongside your city and requires long-term planning. As you build settlements and increase Knowledge, more options become available in the Research menu.

Understanding how Research works and choosing the right paths early helps support income, population growth, and long-term development.

Anno 117: Pax Romana, Guide, How to Start Research Early

Understanding the Research System

The Research tree in Anno 117: Pax Romana may appear large at first, but it opens gradually as your city grows. Research progresses at a slow pace in the beginning while you build housing and raise your Knowledge level. Over time, every node in the Research menu can be unlocked.

Research speed is tied directly to your total Knowledge. The higher your Knowledge, the faster Research progresses. Knowledge is shared across all islands, and all completed Research applies globally.

Research is divided into three categories: Economic, Civic, and Military in Anno 117: Pax Romana.

Early Research Priorities

When you first start playing, your main goal is to earn Denarii and establish a stable population. Because of this, you should focus on Economic and Civic Research first. Military Research becomes useful later, since armies require population, ships, and funding.

Your early Research choices should improve production efficiency and storage. Subsequently, you should focus on Civic Research that supports residents' needs, as residents whose needs are met continue to work and generate income.

Recommended Early Research Paths

The Depots Research path increases island storage capacity and leads to Better Bellows and Paved Roads, thereby improving goods transport and fuel efficiency. This path falls under Economic Research in Anno 117: Pax Romana.

Anno 117: Pax Romana, Guide, How to Start Research Early

The Trading Post Improvements path improves Trading Posts and storage capacity. It leads to Sewing Circles and Fish Markets, which provide additional knowledge and income-related benefits. This path is also part of the field of economic research.

The Market Forces path increases the area of effect for Markets. It leads to Night Watch and Watchtowers, which support Happiness and Knowledge. This path belongs to Civic Research.

The Quartermastery path increases cargo slots and reduces cargo weight, thereby supporting trade. It leads to Wells and Hospitality, unlocking bonuses related to Health and Fire Safety. This path is also part of Civic Research.

Transitioning Into Military Research

Once your city is generating income and resident Needs are covered, you can begin Military Research. You should start with Provisional Castra, then move into Armorsmithing, and later unlock Legionaries. These units become relevant as conflicts increase later in the game.

How to Increase Knowledge

If Research feels slow, you need to raise your total Knowledge. One way to do this is by selecting Minerva as your patron god, which grants the Divine Wisdom bonus. This increases the base Knowledge generated by residents on that island.

Anno 117: Pax Romana, Guide, How to Start Research Early

Knowledge can be increased by constructing buildings that raise Knowledge in surrounding residential areas, making decisions that favor education, and researching nodes that provide Knowledge bonuses.

Artificial Intelligence, Lingua Romana, and Cultoff Minerva are all examples of topics that fall under Civic Research in Anno 117: Pax Romana.

Tracking Knowledge Output

To view your total Knowledge, open the Research menu and hover over the Book icon; the number beneath it indicates your total Knowledge. This value represents the total Knowledge generated per minute across all islands.

The information panel also shows which islands produce lower Knowledge, allowing you to address gaps by adding Knowledge-focused buildings.

Knowledge Buildings and Placement

The first buildings that increase Knowledge are the Grammaticus and the Fanum. These should be placed near residential areas so their area of effect covers as many homes as possible. Proper placement increases Knowledge generation across the island.

On the Research screen, you can see your current Knowledge amount and the time required to complete each Research node. As your Knowledge grows, research time decreases in Anno 117: Pax Romana.

Anno 117: Pax Romana, Guide, How to Start Research Early

Keeping Research Active

You should always keep Research running. An inactive Research queue slows progress and wastes time. Selecting a new Research node as soon as one finishes ensures steady development throughout your campaign.

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