I believe that the Renaissance revived passion for antiquity.
The era of Renaissance came immediately after the Middle Ages, which are also known as the Dark Ages, because there isn't a lot of knowledge coming from that era. This is why Renaissance (translated as 'rebirth') wanted to change everything, to focus on knowledge, art, and beauty. Obviously, the way to go was to go back to the Classical era, the era of ancient Greece and Rome, because most art comes from those eras in the first place.