The basic idea is this: what is an ancient civilization did NOT fall, but instead survived to this day. What would they have accomplished, what would not be accomplished, how would the world be different? What would technology, government, and religion be like?

For the first go, let's look at Rome. What would have happened if Rome had not broken up, fallen in upon itself, and been overrun by hordes?

Actually Roman civilisation never died, it simply evolved and the modern culture you find in Europe reflects this. Look around you anywhere in Europe and you will hear the echoes of Roman culture.

I don't totally agree. I believe that we do still have influences from the Roman Empire, but it did indeed collapse ( at leat that is what I learned in Medieval History). I believe that technology would have happened a lot sooner than it did if the Roman Empire had survived. I mean they had counters for how many people walked through places, just like we do in subways. Every time a person walked through and moved the sticks on the wheels, a seed or pebble would fall down into a recess and they were tallied at the end of the day. Brilliant! And that was how many thousands of years ago? There was actually a show on Discovery (that's how I know about the counters) and it discussed the innovations that the Romans were responsible for.

Hmm I will guess general Flavius Aetius would become emperor and then build a Roman - Gothic empire.
About Rome, well it never was overrun by hordes but fell because of internal intrigues. Odovacer wanted to serve Emperator Zeno, as his right hand as roman patrician (roman noble).
But Zeno didnt agree.....and ordered the Gothic king Theodoric to execute the rebel general.

I think you pose a wrong kind of question, not what happened if didnt Rome broke up and got overrun, but what if Rome never become christian (Rome fell in less than 100y after it turned its back to the ancient gods). Well my guess if some mistakes was avoided in the early empire, well....Europe today would be like China, a giant nation with two or three maor language (Latin Greek and Germanic or Persian). Maybe the industrial revolution would come earlyer maybe not.....who nows....

We got our revoultions (first at all cultural) when we did rebellion against the rule of the kings and pope's, we placed liberty above loyality, and rational thinking above fate. So if the same happen during the empire maybe today we would be lot more advanced, and maybe not.

I guess in a nutshell we would be further ahead in all aspects of life in the ancient civilizations still existed... (from a positive viewpoint)

Otherwise I guess there would be 'commoners' (those who arent learned and poor) and 'higher' poeple (wealthy and influential) that who would rule them... basically a really sucky existance. (from a negative viewpoint)

oh wait that is what we have today...