OT: Like Master of Magic?

[Taz-in-Space]

Ok. Taz downloaded game and played Tutorial.

Then Taz played normal game and LOST

I was able to build up city to about 12000 pop
and had 3 pikemen, a knight, and an archer.

Then in rapid secession was attacked by FOUR stacks of 5-6 barbarians each. Lost city to fourth stack. By rapid, I mean the 4 attacks within about 8-10 turns.

SO ON TO MY QUESTION - how do you handle this situation or did I just get a game that was unwinable? (I had discovered 3 barbarian citys:
One to S,one to NW, one to ENE)

Also the barbarians seemed to know how to get to my city - They seem to make a beeline for it.

Should I NOT explore until I am bigger, or would I be attacked anyway?