The primary language spoken in the Roman Empire was Latin, which served as the administrative and literary language. Latin evolved from the language of the ancient Latins and became the foundation for the Romance languages such as Italian, Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Romanian. Additionally, Greek was widely spoken, especially in the eastern regions of the empire and among the educated elite because of Hellenistic influence. The multilingual nature of the empire also included local languages, but Latin held official status and was crucial for legal documents, administration, and military commands, contributing to its lasting legacy across Europe.