The primary language spoken in the Byzantine Empire was Greek. The Byzantine Empire, which emerged after the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 AD, maintained much of the cultural and intellectual heritage of ancient Greece and Rome. Although Latin was initially significant in administration and law, by the 6th century, Greek became the dominant language in public life, education, and the Orthodox Church. This linguistic continuity helped to preserve Hellenistic culture and facilitated the spread of Christian thought. Greek remained an essential aspect of Byzantine identity until the empire's fall in 1453, influencing later European languages and cultures.