Homer and the Origin of the Greek Alphabet

by Barry B. Powell

What caused the invention of the Greek alphabet? Who did it, and why? The purpose of this challenging book is to inquire systematically into the historical causes that underlay the radical shift from earlier and less efficient writing systems to the use of alphabetic writing. The author declares his conclusion to be a possibly surprising one--that a single man, perhaps from the island of Euboea, invented the Greek alphabet specifically in order to record the Iliad and the Odyssey of Homer.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Language

308 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

Reviews

[clara · Rating 3 out of 5]

i'm speedrunning this review because my phone is about to die. my professor kindly recommended this book; i don't buy the argument, but neither does she. i liked trying to read the greek writing, and i really enjoyed the inscriptions where guys are bragging about their boyfriends and their success at getting people to sleep with them. i was really vibing with this book. it's also possible i have heretofore simply forgotten how to read for fun.

[Liam Malone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powell argues for date of around 800-750. And, the they were written down probably by the person who adapted the Phonecian alphabet to write hexameter poetry.