Very true and in Antonine Rome during the longest streak of peace the civilized world has known no great monuments were erected and no great works of literature penned.
This is an amazing revelation for me. My thought would have been the opposite would have been true.
Any further comment on this topic would be appreciated.
Was always under the impression of a flourishing of the arts and literature during a period of peace, tranquility, and a public not engaged in wars or hardship. 
A further quick net inquiry led me to this site where a view more to my understanding is presented.
The age of the
Antonine dynasty has been described as that period of the Roman empire which enjoyed the greatest happiness. The Antonines' policy of avoiding war, determined the Roman empire's historical development to such a degree, that the name 'Antonine' became synonymous with prosperity, as we can see from the 'Panegyric on Rome', delivered by Aelius Aristides in AD 143/4.
It was a time when more and more Roman provincial citizens were rising to equestrian or even senatorial rank, and gradually acquiring more and more access to the Roman administration. Indeed, the second emperor of the Antonine dynasty, Trajan, was the first occupant of the Roman throne to come from a province (Baetica).
The Antonines showed a particular interest in Hellenic culture. Under their rule, art produced some of its finest examples, while the rise of the Second Sophistic movement serviced diplomatic relations between Hellenic cities and the Roman administration. It was a sign of the times and their trend towards the intellectual that Marcus Aurelius became involved with the Stoic, Platonic and Epicurean philosophies; his policy being so much coloured by them that he has gone down in history as 'the philosopher emperor'.
The reasons for this happy state of affairs are complex. The annexation of neighbouring client kingdoms during the first century AD meant that there was a general peace and stability. Provincial administration became more consistent and more effective. Commercial contact was facilitated, and economic well-being promoted by stationing armed units along key commercial routes. An unprecedented population increase was also registered, chiefly in urban centres.
An explosion of building in the cities, vigorous intellectual life, flourishing aristic activity, movements in philosophy: all these accurately reflect the universal prosperity. Meanwhile, on the social level a new cultural identity was just beginning to make itself felt -that of the Greek-speaking Roman citizen.
Only when Marcus Aurelius died did the first clouds begin to gather, mainly on the north-west and eastern horizons of the Empire, which were to threaten the existence of this infinitely desirable peace. The person who was called upon to go on campaign and face these problems was the new emperor, Lucius Verus.
http://www.ime.gr/chronos/07/en/politics/index33.html

Trajan's Forum
This forum was built on the order of the emperor Trajan with the spoils of war from the conquest of Dacia, which ended in 106.[1] The Fasti Ostienses state that the Forum was inaugurated in 112, while Trajan's Column was erected and then inaugurated in 113.
To build this monumental complex, extensive excavations were required: workers eliminated the sides of the Quirinal and Capitoline (Campidoglio) Hills, which closed the valley occupied by the Imperial forums toward the Campus Martius.
It is possible that the excavations were initiated under Emperor Domitian, while the project of the Forum was completely attributed to the architect Apollodorus of Damascus,[1] who also accompanied Emperor Trajan in the Dacian campaign.
During the time of the construction, several other projects took place: the construction of the Markets of Trajan,[1] and the renovation of the Caesar's Forum (where the Basilica Argentaria was built) and the Temple of Venus Genetrix.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trajan%27s_Forum 