The first civilization to rise in Europe was Ancient Greece, which to a large extent set basis to later European culture. The Roman Empire once dominated the southernmost parts of Europe, and the Germanic and Slavonic tribes dwelt in northern and eastern Europe. The Germanic Viking civilization flourished in Scandinavia. Western and mainland Europe, on the other hand, being mostly inhabited by the Celtic peoples, were dominated by the Celts throughout most of the history. The Celtic Balkans once were dominated by the Slavonic-influenced Turkic tribe of Bulgarians, and the Khazars established a strong empire in the central parts of Europe, which later dissolved.