I don't get you claim. Greek philosophy existed earlier than Christianity, and borrowed e.g. from Egypt, and not really from Israel, which is the cultural branch Christianity evolved from.
Yes, what I meant to convey is that the lands around the Mediterranean constituted a coherent region more than the Northern Mediterranean combined with Northern Europe.
Greeks and Romans traveled throughout the area. To a Roman, a northern Barbarian was more exotic than the peoples South of the Mediterranean.
We are more similar to Middle Easterners than it might seem, though, granted, Islam today is a huge differentiator.
Oh, by 'themselves' I wanted to point out that the first Christians were, obviously, Middle Easterners. There have been Christian communities throughout the region ever since.
Yes, I gather Islam incorporated both Judaism and Christianity.
Greeks and Romans traveled throughout the area. To a Roman, a northern Barbarian was more exotic than the peoples South of the Mediterranean.
We are more similar to Middle Easterners than it might seem, though, granted, Islam today is a huge differentiator.