In Eastern Culture, the concept of virtue is apparent in the word Dharma.  From Wikipedia, Dharma appears to have existed in the early Sanskrit, which has been dated back to as early as 1500 BC.  Each of the Indian religions, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism emphasize Dharma.  According to Wikipedia, “The word dharma is generally translated into English as 'law' and literally translates as 'that which upholds or supports' (from the root, Dhr, - to hold), here referring to the order which makes the cosmos and the harmonious complexity of the natural world possible. As in the West, the concept of natural or divine law, has, throughout the history of Indian civilization, governed ideas about the proper conduct of living.”  However, a general consensus with regards to an exact meaning does not appear to exist.. In Western Culture, virtue as a concept has been traced back as early as the Mycenaean culture according to Richard Hooker, Professor at Washington State University.  The Mycenaean culture predates the Greek culture.  The topic was subsequently heavily discussed amongst the early Greeks, most notably amongst Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle as arete.  Later, Alexander the Great took a strong interest in the topic of virtue and through him the concept found its way into Hellenism.  According to professor Hooker, it worked its way into Christian theology through the apostle Paul and Hellenism, (although I am confused by many atheist theologians on this topic because many also seem to deny Paul's existence.  I supposes they must mean the authors of such letters as they view implied to have been written by Paul.) A failing Roman empire later adopted Christianity, which helped revitalize it.  Later, the concept expanded amongst “Christian” nations until it came to be the basis of the modern democratic republic forms of government.