C., or
two thousand years after the development of Egyptian commerce in
that region. We cannot say whether this civilisation in the
AEgean sea preceded others which we afterwards find on the
Asiatic mainland. The beginning of the Hittite Empire in Asia
Minor, and of Phoenician culture, is as yet unknown. But we can
say that there was as yet no civilisation in Europe. It is not
until after 1600 that civilisation is established in Greece
(Mycenae and Tiryns) as an offshoot of AEgean culture. Later
still it appears among the Etruscans of Italy--to which, as we
know, both Egyptian and AEgean vessels sailed. In other words,
the course of civilisation is very plainly from east to west.
But we must be careful not to imagine that this represents a mere
transplantation of southern culture on a rude northern stock. The
whole region to the east of the Mediterranean was just as fitted
to develop a civilisation as the valley of the Nile. It swarmed
with peoples having the latest Neolithic culture, and, as they
advanced, and developed navigation, the territory of many of them
became the high road of more advanced peoples. A glance at the
map will show that the easiest line of expansion for a growing
people was westward.
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