Inspired by this question, I have a more general one: What is, historically speaking, a civilization?

We can identify broad traits that make a society a civilization- agriculture, city building, social structures, etc. But what separates one civilization from another, both geopolitically and chronologically? Is there a widely accepted definition of "a civilization" that identifies a particular time period or region as being one distinct from others? What factors would be considered in defining a specific civilization?

For example, why would (not) the Roman Republic and the Byzantine Empire be considered the same civilization? What about the Byzantine Empire and the Western Roman Empire?

Inspired by this question, I have a more general one: What is, historically speaking, a civilization?

We can identify broad traits that make a society a civilization- agriculture, city building, social structures, etc. But what separates one civilization from another, both geopolitically and chronologically? Is there a widely accepted definition of "a civilization" that identifies a particular time period or region as being one distinct from others? What factors would be considered in defining a specific civilization?

For example, why would (not) the Roman Republic and the Byzantine Empire be considered the same civilization? What about the Byzantine Empire and the Western Roman Empire?