The correct answer is Latin. It was originally spoken in what is currently known as the Italian peninsula, and became the dominant language of the Roman Republic. As the Roman Empire expanded, so did its Latin language, thus creating a universal language. Although Latin is classified as a dead language today (nobody speaks it conversationally), it is the root for Romance languages (including French, Spanish, etc.). Additionally, many people still learn Latin in order to better understand certain roots, specifically in the medicine field.
