The Greco-Roman world – also Greco-Roman civilization, Greco-Roman culture, or Greco-Latin culture – is the modern term for the regions that historically amd culturally fell under the direct influence of the language, culture, government, and religion of the ancient Greeks and Romans. The two cultures first blended significantly under the military authority of the Roman Republic, and then the Roman Empire. The term "classical antiquity" describes the accompanying time period when Greco-Roman culture exerted its greatest influence and dominance on the European continent. In these regions, the cultural perceptions, ideas, and sensitivities of these peoples became dominant in classical antiquity.