Koine Greek
Also known as Alexandrian dialect, common Attic, Hellenistic Greek, Ecclesiastical Greek, Patristic Greek, Koinè Greek, Koinè
common dialect of Greek spoken and written in the ancient world
AI overview
Koine Greek was the common dialect of Greek that people across the ancient world spoke and wrote, allowing Greeks from different regions to communicate with each other. It matters because it became the lingua franca of the eastern Mediterranean, making it essential for trade, administration, and the spread of ideas throughout the ancient world.
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Article
Koine Greek (ἡ κοινὴ διάλεκτος, hē koinḕ diálektos, lit. 'the common dialect'), also variously known as Hellenistic Greek, common Attic, the Alexandrian dialect, Biblical Greek, Septuagint Greek or New Testament Greek, was the common supra-regional form of Greek spoken and written during the Hellenistic period, the Roman Empire, and the early Byzantine Empire. It evolved from the spread of Greek following the conquests of Alexander the Great in the fourth century BC, and served as the lingua franca of much of the Mediterranean region and the Middle East during the following centuries. It was based mainly on Attic and related Ionic speech forms, with various admixtures brought about through dialect levelling with other varieties.
Greek-speaking areas during the Hellenistic period (323 to 31 BC) Areas where Greek speakers probably were a majority
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Christian liturgical languagesDialects with Linguist List codeHellenism and ChristianityHellenistic civilizationKoine GreekLanguage articles with Linglist codeLanguage articles with unreferenced extinction dateLanguages attested from the 3rd century BCLanguages of ancient MacedoniaLanguages of EgyptLanguages of SicilyLanguages of Syria