Peace and its correlates in the ancient world

Abstract

In this paper, we construct and analyze a database of warfare around the Mediterranean from 600 to 30 BCE. We first summarize the variation across space, time, and belligerents; documenting that battles are not a rare event. Then we examine two main explanations for international peace: democracy and hegemony, using both statistical analyses and case study comparisons. We find no democratic peace among Ancient Greek city-states. We also find mixed results, both inside and outside of Greece, about how war relates to state power. Broadly, our results challenge political theories of peace and suggest more exploration of alternative theories.

Keywords: Long run war, Democratic peace, Hegemonic power