The term "Greek Rome" refers to the period of Roman history from the mid-2nd century BC to the early 4th century AD, during which the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire were heavily influenced by Greek culture, philosophy, and art. This period also marked the rise of Christianity in the Roman Empire. While Greek culture had been influential in Rome for centuries, it became increasingly dominant during this time. Greek philosophers, artists, and writers flourished in Rome, and Greek became the language of the educated elite. Many of the key ideas of Roman philosophy, such as Stoicism and Epicureanism, originated in Greek thought. Greek artistic styles were widely copied in Roman art, and many of the most famous Roman works of art, such as the Venus de Milo and the Laocoön and His Sons, were inspired by Greek originals. The Roman Empire was also the site of many important early Christian communities, and the spread of Christianity was greatly aided by the use of Greek as a lingua franca in the Roman world.