Muslim scholars built upon Greco-Roman culture primarily by translating and analyzing ancient texts, as well as adopting elements of Greco-Roman city planning and architecture. The created centers of learning became the repositories and incubators of ancient knowledge, significantly contributing to scientific and philosophical advancements.
Muslim scholars significantly built upon Greco-Roman culture by translating and studying ancient texts, thus preserving and enhancing the knowledge of past civilizations. Throughout the Islamic Golden Age, the Abbasids and other Muslim rulers encouraged the translation of Greek, Persian, and other sources into Arabic, fostering a vibrant culture of learning. Notably, figures like Ibn Sina (Avicenna) and Ibn Rushd (Averroes) were instrumental in carrying forward the philosophical and scientific heritage. Islamic architecture also borrowed from Greco-Roman models, evidenced by the planning of cities with a grid pattern and the central position of mosques, similar to the role of the agora or forum in Greek and Roman cities.
These translated works played a critical role in the preservation and development of knowledge in fields such as philosophy, medicine, astronomy, and mathematics. Centers of learning in cities like Baghdad and Cordova became hubs for scholarly activity. This integration and advancement had profound long-term effects, ultimately influencing the European Renaissance through the later transmission of these texts to the West.