[Gods_Mercenary]

The only significant period of peace in a major region was obtained in the post Caesar era during the Pax Romana. This peace was kept on the edge of the legionaire's sword. Superior firepower is the only way of keeping peace that has proven itself on a large scale for any real period of time. Granted, this has a way of blowing up once your legionaires have all died and your glorious conquering leaders have turned into a bunch of fat perverts, with hairy, illiterate barbarians raping your women. and this leads to a 500 yr or so dark age that snuffs out yours and dozens of others civilizations advances for far longer. So,on the balance, it looks like like a little war every once ina while is better than an enforced peace.