Help! Maintaining peace, the damn japanese...

Hi,

I really suck ass at this game I fear. I try to play by building structures/tech which increase my research (i.e. Library, Researching for the great library etc...) but then you always get someone who attacks me and razes my capital. The only way to win it seems is to spam military units and wage war on anyone within the confines early.

I would like to keep peace but don't know how and I'd rather not allow open borders (it defies the scope of obstructing other civs). And all this at the noble level! Damn this game it is too difficult!!! (i'll get back to the titles by impressions i fear)

You need open borders for better trade relations and diplomacy.
What level of difficulty do you play?

edit: sorry, thought i was in the Civ4 forum, haven't played too much Revolutions (although I have beaten it on the hardest level a few times..)

I posted in the wrong section. This was actually for CIV 4 I don't have any expansions for it. I will repost but it would be cross-posting?