Graeco-Roman
/ˌɡreɪ.koʊˈroʊ.mən/noun
Relating to the combined cultural traditions of ancient Greece and Rome.
Did you know?The term is a modern scholarly label, but it names a real historical blend: Roman art, religion, and elite education were deeply shaped by Greek models, so much that Rome often wore Greek culture like a mask of power.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
Graikós
“Greek; belonging to the Greeks”
Ancient Greek
Greek
Rhōmaîos
“Roman; belonging to Rome”
Late Latin
Latin
Graeco-Romanus
“Greek and Roman combined”
18th–19th Century
English
Graeco-Roman
“A scholarly term for the shared artistic, literary, and cultural world of Greece and Rome”
Modern English
English
Graeco-Roman
“Relating to ancient Greek and Roman culture, especially in art, literature, and history”