How do you grow in ikariam

by starting with this towns marble, sulfur, wine, marble then crystal. since you can pillage crystal from any town. Building your building is important and setting up and army as well. well start building your town halls and your taverns so you can get more population for your resources and making a bigger army. i would consider getting your three important colonies first by upgrading your palace. then you can start making a little army from noob pillagers.
it depends the player you are, if your a pillager then you don't really produce anything just pillage other players or if your producer keep an army from pillagers. its hard to start since everybody will pillage you, but try to find some allies to help you out.