Time Period (Approx.),Region,Language,Remarks
2000 BCE – 1000 BCE,Ancient Egypt,Egyptian,Language of the pharaohs and widely used in religious texts.
2000 BCE – 500 BCE,Mesopotamia,Sumerian,One of the earliest known written languages, used in trade.
1900 BCE – 600 BCE,India/Indus,Sanskrit,Sacred language of Hindu texts, influential in South Asia.
1700 BCE – 500 BCE,China,Old Chinese,Basis for modern Chinese languages, dominant in East Asia.
1500 BCE – 500 BCE,Mesopotamia,Akkadian,Language of ancient empires like Babylon and Assyria.
1000 BCE – 400 BCE,Eastern Mediterranean,Greek,Language of philosophy, science, and the Eastern Mediterranean.
600 BCE – 200 CE,Persian Empire,Old Persian,Official language of the Achaemenid Empire, widespread.
500 BCE – 500 CE,Roman Empire,Latin,Dominant language in Europe, basis for the Romance languages.
300 BCE – 600 CE,India,Prakrits,Early Indian vernacular languages, widely spoken in India.
200 CE – 1200 CE,Arabia/Islamic World,Arabic,Language of the Quran, widely spread with the Islamic empire.
300 CE – 1500 CE,China,Classical Chinese,Dominant language of literature, government, and scholarship.
700 CE – 1500 CE,Europe,Latin,Continued as the language of the Church and academia.
1000 CE – 1500 CE,India,Sanskrit/Prakrits,Still influential in religious and scholarly texts.
1200 CE – 1800 CE,Central Asia/Eastern Europe,Mongolian,Language of the Mongol Empire, which ruled vast territories.
1500 CE – 1900 CE,Spain/Portugal,Spanish, Portuguese,Spread due to colonization, especially in the Americas.
1500 CE – 1900 CE,Europe/Colonial World,French,Dominant in diplomacy, culture, and colonies.
1600 CE – Present,Global,English,Dominant in international trade, science, and technology.
1600 CE – Present,South Asia,Hindi/Urdu,Widely spoken in South Asia, especially India and Pakistan.
1900 CE – Present,Global,Mandarin Chinese,Most spoken language today, due to China’s population.
1900 CE – Present,Russia/Eastern Europe,Russian,Spread with the Soviet Union and still widely spoken.