The Roman era is a period in Western history, when ancient Rome was the center of power of the world around the Mediterranean Sea, where Latin was the lingua franca.

Depending on sources, the Roman era starts somewhere in the 2nd or 1st century BC (e.g. 146 BC, Greece subjected by Rome for the first time - 30 BC, the Roman empire stabilised for many centuries to come by Caesar Augustus), and ends when the Middle Ages start. This end date is even less defined, since several centuries elapse between the first major defeats of the Roman Empire, e.g. Rome looted by vandals, and the final defeat of the Eastern Roman empire (which had its center of power moved to Constantinople). Conventionally, and as far as Western history is concerned, the end of the Roman era is placed as early as 330 AD, and as late as the 6th century.

Preceding to Rome, Greece, and in particular Athens, had been the center of power and intellectual activity in the Western world. Even during the Roman era, Greece was highly respected for its rich cultural history, but it had lost its worldly power.

Roman authors and artists turned primarily to Greek sources, when composing the cultural tapisserie that became known as Roman ancient culture, e.g. Virgil, when describing the mythical origins of Rome in his Aeneid, turned to Homer's tales about Troy, both stylistically, and for linking the "history".

Similarly for Cicero, the early highlight of Roman era culture, it is apparent his thinking is rooted in Greek stoa. Also Ovid had his part in connecting Greek deities to equivalent Roman deities with Latin names.

See also

• List of Ancient Rome-related topics
• Roman empire
• Roman culture
• Classical Rome
• Latin language