Latin is now what we call a dead language, but it was at one point in time a very popular language. Latin is a Indo-European language meaning it was a language spoken primarily in Europe and parts of Asia. Latin started in Ancient Rome and Lathium, a part of Italy. Latin is no longer spoken but many currently spoken languages are derived from it (The Romanic Languages) including: Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, Romanian, and Catalan.

Latin is split up into several different time periods.

Old Latin- The oldest known records of the Latin Language, which took place during B.C.

Classical Latin- Latin that was spoken by the people of Ancient Rome.

Late Latin- When Byzantine conquered the Roman Empire, they began speaking a form of Greek derived from Latin.

Vulgar Latin- The latin language spoken by the "common people", the peasants and farms etc.

Medieval Latin- The latin language spoken during the Middle Ages especially in Roman Catholic Churches. Renaissance Latin- During the Renaissance times some people tried to bring back the classical language of Latin.

Today Latin is a dead language. It is no longer spoken, but many common languages are formed from it and especially in science many of the words are Latin orientated.