This is sort of leading off of a discussion I had in an earlier thread with /u/XenophonTheAthenian.
Through casual observation made even from the time I was little it always seemed to me that Rome was heavily influenced by Greek culture. In particular Roman mythology seems largely identical, save for names, with Greek mythology. Also their architecture seems to match up with numerous similar themes.
Is there a clear explanation or timeline for these similarities? Also would you say that Roman fashion and cuisine had a heavy Greek influence as well?
I also often wondered if Roman military tactics and strategy ever borrowed from the Greeks fighting system. In particular I wondered if the Triarii of the Republican era may have been inspired or affected by the Greek Hoplite?
Thanks again everyone for your time and input.
The Greek influence on Rome started with the settling of Greek πόλεις in Southern Italy, such as Nεάπολiς (Naples, meaning New city ). These πόλεις were founded by groups of Greeks leaving their old πόλiς in Greece, because of many different reasons, such as trade or overpopulation. This started around the 8^th century BC.
This means that from very early on the Italian tribes would come in contact with Greek culture. At this point in time we cannot really speak of Rome yet. The first archeological proof of people living on and around the hills of Rome dates back to around 1000 BC. Mythically Rome was founded by Romulus and Remus in 753 BC (apparently at noon on the 21^th of April, precise bastards those Romans). Rome only began to be a major force during the Republic and only after the first two Punic wars did the Roman army focus on the Hellenistic kingdoms of Greece.
Although Rome was influenced by the Greek culture already in major ways through the forming of the πόλεις (Roman temples being a good example), it was after the invasion of Greece the influence became as overpowering as it is seen today. Rome had grown unbelievably in the past centuries, but the growth was mainly militaristic and culturally Rome lagged behind Greece in a number of ways.
For example the "spartan" Romans lived in simple houses, without ornaments and sat down to dinner; while the Greeks had their houses adorned by columns, paintings and statues and ate their dinner reclining. The Romans had yet to establish a flourishing literary tradition or even start thinking about such things as philosophy; while Greece was known for great writers and philosophers like Plato, Sophocles and Euripides.
This different style of life and the cultural wealth of the Greek culture appealed to large numbers of Romans, who started incorporating this in all aspects of their life. It became imperative for members of the upper classes to speak Greek as well as Latin and they usually had parts of their education in places like Athens or Rhodes. This is also the period in Roman history where they started producing their own literature (generally taken to have started around 200 BC with Ennius). Cicero finally translated many Greek philosophical ideas into Latin and invented words like qualitas and moralitas (quality and morality being the English derivatives).
Not everyone was convinced the Greek culture was better than the austere Roman one it was enhancing or replacing. Cato the Elder, for example, was vehemently against all Greek influence and in 161 BC a large number of Greek philosophers and actors were removed from the city, to halt the decay of Roman morals; ultimately this action had little effect.
There is so much more to write on this subject especially regarding religion and on the specific ways Romans were influenced in art, literature and philosophy, but I'm going to take a break now...