A civilization is an advanced culture that develops a complex division of labor, central government, unique architecture and art, systems of religion and politics, and advances in science and technology. Civilizations are usually based on cities, and their growth is a measure of progress in culture and social organization. A civilization may also require a degree of trade, and this requires the development of writing, standardized measurement, money, and contracts and torts based on an understanding of property law.
The concept of a civilization emerged from pre-agricultural hunter-gatherer societies that became sedentary and established towns and cities. The first urban civilizations developed specialized trades and crafts, along with a centralized form of government, unique arts and architecture, and religious practices. They also developed the division of labor in which people work to support their community and produce goods for trade.
It is important to understand that the people who live in an advanced civilization must produce enough food to feed themselves and others. If they do not, their civilization will collapse. Civilizations that depend on trade need to have the means to move goods, and this often involves a complex system of transport networks and communication.
For many years, civilizations were confined to the Mediterranean region and the Far East. These areas were a rich source of inventions in architecture, art, religion, and literature.
These societies had complex divisions of labor, with people working in the fields and others in workshops producing art, crafts, weapons, and tools. Cities were crowded with traders, artisans, craftspeople, soldiers, and religious leaders all competing for resources. They had advanced forms of government, laws and rules for the good of their society. The Abbasid caliphate ruled the Persian Gulf, Mesopotamia, and parts of Egypt and Syria at its peak in the ninth century CE.
The word civilization comes from a Latin word meaning “city.” In modern times, however, it has become an international term that applies to any culturally advanced human society. It is used by historians and scholars in the fields of history, culture, philosophy, economics, political science, and sociology to describe the culture and social organization of a particular country or area.
The definition of a civilization is somewhat subjective, and there are varying opinions on whether the Gobekli Tepe site in northern Turkey represents one. The earliest examples of a sedentary culture were found in ancient Mesopotamia and the Indus Valley, and these are considered to be the cradles of civilization. In the modern sense of the word, however, a civilization must be urbanized, have a system of trade, have a complex division of labor, have a written language, and have a religious system. Civilizations may also develop complex mathematical concepts, metallurgy, and scientific understanding. They may even build pyramids or create elaborate artwork. However, some people believe that modern civilization is directing itself towards the domination of the environment and humanity in an intrinsically harmful, unsustainable and self-destructive way. This argument is sometimes called eco-cidal theory.