Is the AI improved any? Last time I played about a year ago, my friend who was playing as Rome (I was playing as Seleucid master race) had the Senate take everything east of Illyria. Didn't matter because stupid AI would raise legions in the ass-end of nowhere and the concept of reinforcing cities seemed completely alien to it. That and the doomstacking approach to taking cities basically ruined the game for me.
On the strategic level, no not really noticing much clever play on their part. Nothing outright idiotic either though. On the battle level, it seems less foolish than I recall it to be - at a river crossing they smartly linked up their two armies then crossed and tried to blunt my cavalry with their own. Unfortunately they spent their time running their men around so...exhausted troops broke on my line.