From Gabii and Gordion to Eretria and Methone: The Rise of the Greek Alphabet

Recent discoveries from Methone, including three long inscriptions likely written in Eretrian script, provide crucial evidence for the diffusion of literacy and the evolution of the Greek alphabet. These findings challenge the traditional understanding that the Greek alphabet evolved directly from Phoenician scripts, suggesting instead a more complex prehistory with at least three distinct phases: Cretan, Euboean, and Ionian. The study proposes raising the chronology of the Middle and Late Geometric periods to reconcile this evidence. Additionally, the inscriptions indicate that Euboean script was already sophisticated enough to record complex texts like epic poetry by this time. This research sheds new light on the origins and spread of alphabetic writing in the Mediterranean world.

JANKO, R. (2015). FROM GABII AND GORDION TO ERETRIA AND METHONE: THE RISE OF THE GREEK ALPHABET. Bulletin of the Institute of Classical Studies, 58(1), 1–32. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2041-5370.2015.12000.x