The Roman population survived within the coastal cities,<ref>[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=4Nv6SPRKqs8C&pg=PA269&dq=Roman+empire+Dalmatia+slavs&hl=en&ei=H6bpTNqiDcyHcZyF9aEK&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CDoQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=Roman%20empire%20Dalmatia%20slavs&f=false The Illyrians] by John Wilkes (p269)</ref> in the inhospitable Dinaric Alps (these people were later known as "Morlachs" or Vlachs) and for a while on the islands. Many of the Dalmatian cities retained their Romanic culture and [[Latin]] language. Among these were Jadera (Zara/Zadar), Spalatum (Spalato/Split), Ragusa (Dubrovnik) and Trau (Trogir). These areas developed their own ''Vulgar Latin'' the Dalmatian language,<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalmatian_language Dalmatian Language (Wikipedia)]</ref> a now extinct Romance language.<ref>[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=29BAeKHwvuoC&pg=PA377&dq=Dalmatian+language+extinct+Romance+language&hl=en&ei=MKjpTL_aJs2ecdHXrNwK&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CEcQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=Dalmatian%20language%20extinct%20Romance%20language&f=false Encyclopedia of the Languages of Europe] by Glanville Price (p377)</ref> Many coastal cities and towns or the region (politically part of the Byzantine Empire) <ref>[http://www.jstor.org/pss/4204507 University College London, School of Slavonic and East European Studies] The Slavonic and East European Review-The Slavonic Latin Symbiosis in Dalmatia during the Middle Ages ''by'' Victor Novak</ref> maintained political, cultural and economic links with the [[Italy|Italian]] peninsula through the Adriatic sea. Communications with the mainland were difficult because of the Dinaric Alps. Due to the sharp orography <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Orography| title=Encyclopaedia Britannica (1911 Edition): Orography|date=[[2010]]|accessdate=2010-11-22}} | The Roman population survived within the coastal cities,<ref>[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=4Nv6SPRKqs8C&pg=PA269&dq=Roman+empire+Dalmatia+slavs&hl=en&ei=H6bpTNqiDcyHcZyF9aEK&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=5&ved=0CDoQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=Roman%20empire%20Dalmatia%20slavs&f=false The Illyrians] by John Wilkes (p269)</ref> in the inhospitable Dinaric Alps (these people were later known as "Morlachs" or Vlachs) and for a while on the islands. Many of the Dalmatian cities retained their Romanic culture and [[Latin]] language. Among these were Jadera (Zara/Zadar), Spalatum (Spalato/Split), Ragusa (Dubrovnik) and Trau (Trogir). These areas developed their own ''Vulgar Latin'' the Dalmatian language,<ref>[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalmatian_language Dalmatian Language (Wikipedia)]</ref> a now extinct Romance language.<ref>[http://books.google.com.au/books?id=29BAeKHwvuoC&pg=PA377&dq=Dalmatian+language+extinct+Romance+language&hl=en&ei=MKjpTL_aJs2ecdHXrNwK&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=6&ved=0CEcQ6AEwBQ#v=onepage&q=Dalmatian%20language%20extinct%20Romance%20language&f=false Encyclopedia of the Languages of Europe] by Glanville Price (p377)</ref> Many coastal cities and towns or the region (politically part of the Byzantine Empire) <ref>[http://www.jstor.org/pss/4204507 University College London, School of Slavonic and East European Studies] The Slavonic and East European Review-The Slavonic Latin Symbiosis in Dalmatia during the Middle Ages ''by'' Victor Novak</ref> maintained political, cultural and economic links with the [[Italy|Italian]] peninsula through the Adriatic sea. Communications with the mainland were difficult because of the Dinaric Alps. Due to the sharp orography <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Orography| title=Encyclopaedia Britannica (1911 Edition): Orography|date=[[2010]]|accessdate=2010-11-22}} |