Latin dialects refer to the various regional forms of the Latin language that developed during the Roman Empire and afterward. These dialects emerged due to geographical, social, and cultural differences among the speakers. Over time, they evolved into the Romance languages, such as Spanish, French, Italian, and Portuguese. The main dialects of Latin include Classical Latin, used in literature and formal contexts, and Vulgar Latin, the everyday spoken form. Vulgar Latin varied significantly across regions, leading to distinct linguistic features that contributed to the formation of the Romance languages we know today.