Just What Does Greco-Roman Mean

Greco-Roman Religion in both Greece and Romeattenuated religion of the Greco-Roman past and
was polytheistic, embracing a multitude of godstransformed Rome's cultural matrix by
and goddesses, especially in the Roman Empireacknowledging the faith of a persecuted minority.
which tended to absorb the deities of theThe life of Constantine is arguably a better
countries it conquered. The Greco-Roman periodterminus of the Greco-Roman age than any
of history refers to the culture of the peoplesother; it may equally be considered as the herald
who were incorporated into the Roman Republicof the Middle Ages. In the cities of the
and Empire. The "classical" Greco-Roman periodGreco-Roman period, Greek ideas were
ends with the fall of the Western Roman Empiredisseminated, Greek dress was fashionable, and
in the 5th century AD. However, thethe externals of Greek civilization, baths, theaters,
Greco-Roman civilization continued in the East foramphitheaters, hippodromes, fountains, aqueducts,
another millennium (although as with all civilizationsarches, and the like were highly visible.
it changed over time). Terms such asThe Greco-Roman world did not lack gods and
Greco-Roman World are also coined by scholarsgoddesses. Although Caesarea was home to
to denote the geographical borders of themany Jews, its population became primarily
culture's impact. After the Punic Wars,Hellenistic (Greek-speaking inhabitants who
Greco-Roman civilization dominated permanentlyworshiped Greco-Roman gods). Many Romans
over the Carthago Phoenician areas and the entireworshipped the traditional Greco-Roman gods, but
Mediterranean basin. The Greco-Roman dominionRomans were also Christians, Jews, and followers
reflects the essential unity of the Mediterraneanof Eastern religions such as the cults of Mithras,
world at the time when this culture flourished,Isis and Astarte. The major Greco-Roman gods
between the 3rd century BC and the 5th centuryare illustrated, as are a number of depictions of
AD.Medusa, Heracles performing his labors, and other
In the succeeding centuries the notion of amythological figures, such as genii on Roman
common Greco-Roman culture in thesarcophagi. In ancient times, Hebe was regarded
Mediterranean became more and more distantas the goddess of youth and the servant of the
from reality. Within its educated class, spanning allGreco-Roman gods.
of the "Greco-Roman" era, the testimony ofPompeii's large theatre underwent a structural
literary borrowings and influences is overwhelmingchange from the Hellenistic style to a more
proof of a mantle of mutual knowledge. ImperialGreco-Roman style.
Rome is identified with the cultural legacy of itsSo as you can see there are many studies and
forebears; it sustained that tradition withoutthoughts regarding the Roman-Greco period.
innovation, until Constantine broke away from the