What is Civilization?

I saw this question on yahoo answers today "What is civilization?" This made me pause and think...we live in a society where we aren't sure what civilization is. Now once I read the question it made a lot more sense, the questioner was simply inquiring as to what the exact nature of civilization was, what defines a civilization and what does a society require to become a civilization-he mentions roads and agriculture in his question, inquiring as to whether these are part of what a civilization is, if they make a civilization.

Another person looking at the root of the word civilization stated that civilization involves cities, because the Latin root of civilization meant city, this is incorrect. The Latin word for city is actually urbs or urbis, the Latin root of civilization is civis meaning citizen. Another person stated that we get along uncivilly and we need to be civilized in this chaotic world, however this too I believe is incorrect as the answerer sin this case is falling prey to a trick of words. Though related he is talking about civility and civil behavior, meaning polite and appropriate behavior within a society. As the question addresses the nature of society and civilization itself not the behaviors within it I think this is too narrow of an answer.

However all I've done so far is eliminate the answers already given...I admit I'm a ponderous thinker so it's a bit hard to just give my answer straight out, here it goes though. Civilization is defined as a society in an advanced state of social development, but also as a particular society at a particular time and place. I'm inclined to disagree with the first definition here...civilization is defined as a society in an advanced state of social development. The evaluators will determine the term advanced...it's purely a point of view. Yet again I've just discounted an answer without provide another, I apologize for this.

However I do believe that the definition of civilization being defined as a society in a particular time and place is quite accurate. That's a pretty low bar you might say, but well...think about it a little. We consider ourselves to be civilized, but why doesn't any culture? Isn't the very definition of a civilization that it has a culture? A set of rules is what a civilization requires to be called such. A set of traditions, values and cultural practices.