Ancient Greek

Ancient Greek refers to the stage in the history of the Greek language corresponding to Classical Antiquity, which normally applies on two ancient periods of Greek history: Archaic and Classic Greece. The Ancient era of Greek history normally includes also the Hellenistic (post-Classic) age, however that period formally composes its own stage in the Greek Language known as Hellenistic Greek. For information on the Greek language prior to the creation of the Greek alphabet, see articles Mycenaean Greek and Proto-Greek.

Dialects of Ancient Greek

The origins, early forms, and early development of the Ancient Greek dialects are not well understood.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

There are several competing theories about what Greek dialect groups may have existed between the divergence of early Greek-like speech from the common Indo-European language (not later than 2000 B.C.), and about 1200 B.C. The only certainly-known dialect from this period is Mycenaean, but it is assumed that there were others, certainly the Northwest/Doric group or its predecessor.

Related Topics:
Indo-European - Mycenaean

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The dialects of the pre-classical and classical period appear documented in writing beginning in the 8th Century B.C., and they certainly developed well before this date.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The most standard formulation currently for the pre-classical and classical dialects is four or five major groups:

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

• Northwest Greek/Doric
• Aeolic (with major Boeotian, Thessalian, and Aegean/Asiatic Aeolic subdivisions)
• Attic-Ionic
• Arcado-Cyprian
• and possibly Pamphylian

Each of these major groups is comprised of individual regional and local dialects, with for example distinctions between Peloponessian Doric and Island Doric, and distinctions between the Doric of cities in the Peloponessus such as Sparta and Corinth.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The Arcado-Cyprian group appears to be closest to Mycenaean Greek, and is likely its direct descendant. Northwest/Doric is the most distinct from the others. Controversy on the early history of Greek dialects generally focuses on the nature of Aeolic, and Attic-Ionic -- with various configurations of independent development or relations to Mycenaean or Northwest/Doric proposed.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The relations between the dialects are likely obscured by significant amounts of influence on each other.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

After the conquests of Alexander the Great in the 3rd Century B.C., a new international dialect known as Koine or Common Greek developed, largely based on Classical Attic, but with influence from other dialects. This dialect slowly replaced most of the older dialects, although Doric dialect has survived to the present in the form of the Tsakonian dialect of Modern Greek. By about the 7th Century A.D., the Koine had slowly metamorphosized into Medieval Greek.

Related Topics:
Alexander the Great - Koine - Classical Attic - Tsakonian - Modern Greek - Medieval Greek

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~