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===Language=== {{main|Latin}} [[File:Praeneste fibula.JPG|right|thumb|alt=Photograph of a gold brooch|The [[Praeneste fibula]] is believed to bear the oldest known Latin inscription. The inscription means "Manius made me for Numerius".]] The language of ancient Rome was Latin, a member of the [[Italic languages|Italic family of languages]]. The earliest surviving inscription in Latin comes from the 7th century BC, on a [[Praeneste fibula|brooch from Palestrina]]. Latin from between this point and the early 1st century BC is known as [[Old Latin]]. Most surviving Latin literature is [[Classical Latin]], from the 1st century BC to the 2nd century AD. Latin then evolved into [[Late Latin]], in use during the [[Late antiquity|late antique period]]. Late Latin survived long after the end of classical antiquity, and was finally replaced by written Romance languages around the 9th century AD. Along with literary forms of Latin, there existed various vernacular dialects, generally known as [[Vulgar Latin]], in use throughout antiquity. These are mainly preserved in sources such as graffiti and the [[Vindolanda tablets]].
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