When and how much did Romans speak Greek?

1. When did Romans speak Greek?
2. Did the Romans ever speak Greek?
3. Why did so many Romans speak Greek?
4. When did the Romans stop speaking Latin?

When did Romans speak Greek?

After the conquest of Alexander the Great, Greek became a "lingua franca" in the extensive territories of his conquests, though Rome wasn't much affected by this. Rome proceeded to conquer Greece and surrounding territories: Greek was studied and spoken as a language of cultivation by many Romans, including Cicero.

Did the Romans ever speak Greek?

Latin was used throughout the Roman Empire, but it shared space with a host of other languages and dialects, including Greek, Oscan and Etruscan, which give us a unique perspective on the ancient world.

Why did so many Romans speak Greek?

When the Romans conquered these kingdoms, they made no attempt to change the official language to Latin. The Romans often admired the Greek culture, and many educated Romans and emperors studied Greek themselves.

When did the Romans stop speaking Latin?

Historians have since stated that Latin really became a dead language around 600-750AD. This is in line with the diminishing Roman Empire where few people could actually read, and the Italian, French and Spanish spoken language was rapidly evolving.