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==Introduction==

Common languages are an integral part of linguistic development in the ancient world, as often such languages influence subsequent languages and help unify or economically and politically integrate populations over a wide territory. The ancient Near East displays some of the world’s earliest common languages shared by several states and population groups. The earliest lingua franca is perhaps Akkadian.<ref>For a further discussion on lingua franca languages and Akkadian see: Chew, Phyllis Ghim Lian. 2009. ''Emergent Lingua Francas and World Orders: The Politics and Place of English as a World Language''. Routledge Studies in Sociolinguistics 1. New York: Routledge.</ref> However, it is not clear if this language was spoken and written very widely, as it may have been more utilized by the elites from different regions, such as the political establishments.