[dr_dshiv]

Western civilization begins with Pythagoras (b. 570 BC) who deliberately synthesized a large number of cultural/philosophical traditions (Thracian, Syrian, Babylonian, Persian, Egyptian and Greek). In other words, from the very beginning, Western Civilization was about cross-national integration. By 200 BC, Greek was the lingua franca from India (e.g., Ashoka pillars written in Greek) to Egypt to Britain (reference on request).