Spanish Through the Years: A Timeline of Its Evolution242

## 2000 B.C. - Proto-Indo-European
The Proto-Indo-European language is widely believed to be the common ancestor of most European languages, including Spanish. It was spoken in the steppes of Eastern Europe and Central Asia around 2000 B.C.
## 800 B.C. - Iberian
Iberian was a language or group of languages spoken in the Iberian Peninsula before the arrival of the Romans. It is not directly related to Spanish or any other modern European language, although some scholars believe it may have influenced the development of Basque.
## 218 B.C. - Latin
The Romans conquered the Iberian Peninsula in 218 B.C., and Latin, the language of the Roman Empire, became the dominant language. Over time, Latin began to evolve into different dialects, and the dialect spoken in the Iberian Peninsula eventually became Spanish.
## 400 - 800 - Visigothic Period
During this period, the Visigoths, a Germanic people, ruled the Iberian Peninsula. Their language, Visigothic, influenced the development of Spanish, contributing words related to law, government, and warfare.
## 711 - 1492 - Al-Andalus
In 711, the Moors, a Muslim people from North Africa, invaded the Iberian Peninsula and established the Caliphate of Córdoba. Arabic became the official language of the caliphate, and it had a profound influence on Spanish, contributing thousands of words related to everyday life, science, and culture.
## 1492 - 1600 - Golden Age
After the Reconquista, the Christian kingdoms of Spain unified and entered a period of great cultural and economic prosperity. This period is known as the Golden Age of Spanish. The Spanish language flourished, and many classic works of literature were written in this period.
## 1600 - 1800 - Spanish Empire
During this period, Spain established a vast empire in the Americas. Spanish became the official language of the empire, and it was spoken by millions of people throughout the world. The Spanish language also underwent changes, as new words were introduced from the languages of the Americas.
## 1800 - 1900 - Independence and Expansion
In the 19th century, most of Spain's American colonies gained independence. However, Spanish continued to be spoken in these countries, and it also spread to other parts of the world, such as Africa and Asia.
## 1900 - Present - Modern Spanish
In the 20th century, Spanish underwent a period of standardization and modernization. The Royal Spanish Academy, founded in 1713, played a major role in this process. Today, Spanish is a global language with over 500 million speakers. It is the official language of 20 countries and is widely spoken in many other countries around the world.

2024-12-31

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