In what ways was Rome the heir to the classical Greek civilization

The classical Greek civilization was a source of inspiration to the Romans. For example, the Romans renamed ancient Greek gods and then slightly altered their character to fit their own needs. Rome also adopted much of Greek mythology.

The Romans had a senate and a democracy just like Athens.

Roman education was in both Greek and Latin, and the elites were fluent in Greek. Greeks were the earliest educators in Rome. The last stage in the Roman education system was a trip to Greece to study Greek philosophy. Rome had both Greek and Latin libraries.

Roman architecture and sculpture were based on Greek models coining the term Greco-Roman art. Greek artists were highly revered in Rome.

Dummies.com offers a guide to understanding the origin of Greek gods.

Of interest, a massive tomb guarded by a pair of carved stone sphinxes and sculptured female figures was recently unearthed in Amphipolis, Greece. Some archaeologists believe it is the resting place of Alexander the Great. Find out more from USA Today.