Romance peoples

The term Latin has been used to describe several groups of people throughout history, first referring to the inhabitants of the ancient Latium region, then to Catholic Christians of the Latin rite, and most recently to Romance-speaking peoples. Ancient LatinsThe Latins were an ancient Italic people of the Latium region in central Italy (Latium Vetus, "Old Latium"), in the 1st millennium BC. Although they lived in independent city-states, they spoke Latin as a common language, held common religious beliefs, and extended common rights of residence and trade to one another. Collectively, these Latin states were known as the Latin League. A rupture between Rome, one of the Latin states, and the rest of the Latin League emerged as a result of the former's territorial ambitions. The Latin League fought against Rome in the Latin War (340–338 BC), which ended in a Roman victory. Consequently, some of the Latin states were incorporated within the Roman state, and their inhabitants were given full Roman citizenship. Others became Roman allies and enjoyed certain privileges. After the Social War (91–87 BC), when the rest of the Latins received full Roman citizenship, "Latin" ceased to be