 The original name of the cities was "Jadera, Spalatum, Crespa, Arba, Tragurium, Vecla, Ragusium" and "Cattarum".The language and the laws were initially Latin, but after a few centuries they developed their own neo-Latin language (the "Dalmatico"), that lasted until the 19th century.The cities were maritime centres with a huge commerce mainly with the Italian peninsula and with the growing Republic of Venice.