- When did the Byzantines stop using Latin?
- Why did the Byzantines speak Greek instead of Latin?
- Who was the last Byzantine emperor to speak Latin?
- Did Byzantine emperors speak Latin?
When did the Byzantines stop using Latin?
Despite these Roman Imperial roots, the geographically and largely Hellenic Byzantine Empire witnessed multiple periods of Hellenization and a departure from its Latin associations from its founding in 330 to its fall in 1453.
Why did the Byzantines speak Greek instead of Latin?
Hence Greek was the language of the rulers and became the 'lingua franca' of trade and cultural exchange. When the Romans took over the region, as government and commerce were already mostly conducted in Greek and this seemed to work, and educated Romans already tended to know Greek, there was no reason to change it.
Who was the last Byzantine emperor to speak Latin?
Justinian I "the Great" (482? –565), second of the Justinian Dynasty, and probably the last Byzantine emperor to speak Latin as a first language.
Did Byzantine emperors speak Latin?
Though Byzantium was ruled by Roman law and Roman political institutions, and its official language was Latin, Greek was also widely spoken, and students received education in Greek history, literature and culture.