The Oldest Extant Greek Text and Its Historical Significance

When discussing the origins of written Greek, one must first delve into the earliest forms and scripts that laid the foundation for this influential language. The oldest extant Greek text, while not the oldest written form of Greek, is a significant piece of historical documentation, often regarded as a cornerstone in the evolution of the language.

The Linear B Tablets

The Linear B tablets, discovered in the palace of Knossos on the island of Crete, are the oldest written Greek texts. These tablets date back to around 1450-1350 BCE, providing invaluable insights into the administrative and economic systems of the Mycenaean civilization. These tablets consist of accounting records, showcasing the complexity of the Mycenaean society and its trade network.

It's important to note that the script used in Linear B is an adaptation of the Minoan or Linear A script, similar to how the Greek alphabet is derived from the Phoenician alphabet. Despite these adaptations, the Linear B script is distinct and marks a significant step in the development of Greek writing.

Linear B and Mycenaean Greek

The earliest known form of written Greek is Mycenaean Greek, the language of the Mycenaean civilization. The Mycenaean texts, primarily found in Knossos, Crete, Pylos, Mycenae, and Thebes, are essential for understanding the linguistic roots of modern Greek. This early form of Greek was inscribed using the Linear B script, which was an adaptation of the Minoan script.

It's crucial to recognize that Minoan was not a dialect of Greek, nor is it believed to be an Indo-European language. This non-Greek nature has contributed to the difficulty in deciphering Minoan, a challenge that still persists, more than seventy years after Linear B was successfully deciphered.

The Mystery of Minoan Script

The oldest form of the Greek language for which we have scriptural evidence is the Minoan script, primarily found on Crete and the Aegean islands, dating from around 2100 BC to 1100 BC. Unlike Linear B, which was a fully developed alphabet, the Minoan script is a pictorial script with symbols representing objects.

Due to the pictorial nature of the Minoan script, it has not been fully deciphered and remains a subject of much speculation and debate. Attempts to decipher it as a Greek dialect or an Anatolian language have been inconclusive, leading linguists to consider it an independent system of writing that has not been fully understood.

The Dipylon Inscription and The Iliad

While the Linear B tablets are the oldest known written Greek texts, the oldest surviving script employing the Greek alphabet is the Dipylon inscription, dating to around 740 BCE. This inscription is funerary in nature and serves as a crucial link between the Mycenaean and the classical Greek period.

For literary texts, the Iliad and Theogony by Hesiod are considered among the earliest surviving examples. The Iliad, written in the first half of the 8th century BC, is a significant work of classical Greek literature. Some scholars argue that Theogony might be slightly older than the Iliad, but definitively dating it is challenging due to its complex origins and transmission.

Lastly, the Odyssey, composed around 760-720 BCE, is the later of these epic poems. While its language is not as archaic as that of the Iliad, it contains important historical references, such as the placement of the Cimmerians in their old homeland in Scythia, which places it earlier than 714 BCE, the year of the Cimmerian invasion of Asia Minor.

In conclusion, the oldest extant Greek texts provide a fascinating insight into the origins and development of the Greek language. From the pictorial script of the Minoan civilization to the complex Mycenaean texts and finally to the refined Linear B scripts and early literary works, these documents form the cornerstone of our understanding of ancient Greek civilization.