Maybe you have been reading too much Roman history? {ggg}.
Were the Romans Barbaric with their centuries long blood lust for Christians and others in the Coliseum? Were the Romans Warlike? Illiteracy becomes a relative thing when keeping written records was specifically prohibited.
No, the Romans were civilization itself. If you don't believe that just find a Roman and ask. Oh wait, there aren't any Romans anymore. It doesn't matter, the center of civilization was transferred to the Celts who aren't barbarian anymore, depending on who you ask these days.