Here is how the map looks in Zeus: Master of Olympus. There are different symbols of cities depending on if they’re Greek or some other culture, and what relation they have to you. Clicking on them reveals their view on you (which you can click on to see more of the history of your relationship), what they produce (or export), and what they need (or import). Below that are different action, like giving a gift, begging (or demanding) the same, sending a scout to reveal more about their city, opening up trade, and of course, attacking. When attacking, you can choose to just plunder them, or to actually conquer them and making them your vassal, owing you tribute.
There are also “distant” cities, that can’t be engaged with, other than trade. And as the missions progress, some cities appear, that were insignificant before, while others disappear from the map, because they close themselves or are destroyed.
I think I would prefer this style of map, preferably very crudely hand-drawn, since we aren’t supposed to have maps practically at all, and our knowledge of geography should be very limited. The Simcity IV or Anno map seems too… modern, I guess, too many details, to well made, @louis.mervoyer. But I completely agree that the map should be covered with terra incognita in the beginning, or perhaps some almost fantasy, mythical elements, from folklore and oral traditions: “our elders talk of mountains, far in the north (rather: “towards the star sign of… ‘The Great Lion’”), that reached the sky, with terrible birds that could swallow a man whole”. And of course, if we do not know of copper, our scouts should not have been able to map any deposits far away 
And yes, a world map would be mostly worthless before population reaches a certain level, and people become sedentary. So we’ll see in… mid 2019 maybe
Below a typical “world map” from Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom, and Pharaoh:
