[Wonder Warthog]

"Western culture, in his view, emanates from ancient Greece and prizes consensual government, private markets, self-criticism, and rational inquiry."

"Western culture" probably owes as much or more to the Vikings as to the Greeks.

[Tin-Legions]

A bold statement that I believe is undefendable-the Vikings usually melted into the general culture where they settled within a few generations. See England, France, and Russia during the "Dark Ages".
Please defend this line, Im interested in your thought process.....

TL