The merging of ideas that brought about change and understanding?

that examples in history would you read about that give examples about how the merging of cultures and ideas brought about change? I know back in the early times, the city of Demascus was a melting pot of ideas. Christians and Muslims shared ideas and views, lived together, traded with each other. The enlightenment was sort of an example as well. Philosophers merged ideas of Greek philosphers with Christian, muslim, and Asian ideas to question the status quo of the Christian monarchs who shot down their ideas, threatening them with heresy. what else is out there?