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In the early days of Rome, before it was a big-shot empire or advanced Republic (the correct term for the period of emperors beginning with Augustus is the principate, since Rome was an empire even while it was still a Republic) warfare was seasonal. It has been suggested that one of the reasons for summer warfare was to give energetic young men something to do so that they would not spend their free time tying the neighbors chickens together(i don't think there were chickens in Ancient Rome) and getting into other shenanigans.
Today we have after school activities and summer sports to direct young peoples excess energies into less destructive pursuits. There is also World of Warcraft.
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