Roman Greece (146 BC - 330 AD)

In 146 BC, Greece finally fell under Roman rule — symbolically marked by the destruction of Corinth. Yet the Romans were wise enough to acknowledge the cultural superiority of their conquered subjects. The poet Horace summed it up perfectly: "Graecia capta ferum victorem cepit" — conquered Greece conquered its fierce conqueror.

Greek remained the lingua franca of the eastern Mediterranean. Roman elites sent their sons to Athens to study. Greek philosophy — especially Stoicism and Epicureanism — permeated Roman thought. Emperors like Hadrian (117-138 AD) were enthusiastic Philhellenes: He completed the massive Olympieion (Temple of Olympian Zeus) in Athens, built the Hadrian's Library, and an entire district.

For Greece, the Roman period was a time of relative peace and prosperity (Pax Romana). Cities like Thessaloniki (founded in 315 BC) and Corinth (rebuilt as a Roman colony) flourished as trade centers. The Via Egnatia, which led from the Adriatic coast to Constantinople, was one of the most important transport routes of the empire.

This period also saw the spread of Christianity: The Apostle Paul preached in Thessaloniki, Corinth, and Athens (his famous Areopagus speech to the Athenians). Greece became one of the first Christian regions — a development that still shapes the country today.