The Romans connected the Mediterranean world through military conquest and cultural assimilation between 752 BCE to 284 CE. They established a republic that expanded through the Punic Wars against Carthage. Dissatisfaction with the republic led to civil war and the rise of the Roman Empire under Augustus, who brought stability through the Pax Romana. The empire reached its peak between the 1st and 2nd centuries CE, but later faced challenges from within such as economic problems and invasions by Germanic tribes. Christianity also grew within the empire despite early persecution. By 284 CE, the empire was divided and entering a period of disarray.