from the earliest times, individual states or political factions have used war to gain sovereignty over regions. in one of the earliest civilizations in history, mesopotamia, they were in a near constant state of war. ancient egypt during its early dynastic period came about by war when lower and upper egypt were joined as one country, about 3100 bc. the zhou dynasty ruled ancient china came to power in 1046 through war. scipio africanus (236-183 bce) defeated carthage leading ancient rome to begin a conquest of the known world. philip ii of macedon (382-336 bce) united a group of city-states to become ancient greece.