How did Rome influence today's culture?

The ancient Roman civilization is considered to be the conduit that has had great effect on the foundation of modern life. They had a profound impact on literature, Astrology, education, mathematics, arts science and philosophy. This was, of course, based on Greek developments which the Romans borrowed copiously.

Their homegrown art, theatre and philosophy were mediocre at best. They did invent concrete which gave a new avenue for architecture.

They acknowledged their principal skill was in governance and war, and it was this combination which allowed civilization to survive for so long to be passed on to us when the Enlightenment began to recover the threads which had all but disappeared in the Dark and Mediaeval ages.