there's more to it than that.

I mean, then what about conquerors like Alexander? Xerxes? Darius? Hannibal? Read Livy's rendition of the Second Punic Wars, and you already have imperialism and pre-concieved spheres of influence - on the Roman AND Carthaginian (n. african) sides.

Imperialism and the creation of borders by mighty third-parties is not new. It's not even a particularly European concept.

Wholesale rape of the environment is a little more European - as is the demonization of nature.