Koine Greek

Koine Greek, also known as Hellenistic Greek or Biblical Greek, was the common form of Greek spoken and written during the Hellenistic period, the Roman Empire, and the early Byzantine Empire. It developed after the conquests of Alexander the Great in the fourth century BC, becoming the lingua franca of much of the Mediterranean region and the Middle East. Based mainly on Attic and Ionic speech forms, it included both literary styles and everyday spoken language.

Koine Greek was the language of important works like the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, and the New Testament. It was also used by famous writers such as Plutarch and Polybius, and even the Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius wrote his personal reflections called Meditations in this language. Today, Koine Greek continues to be used in services by the Greek Orthodox Church and some Greek Catholic churches. Over time, it evolved into what is known as Medieval Greek, which later influenced Modern Greek.

Name

The English word "Koine" comes from the Koine Greek term ἡ κοινὴ διάλεκτος, meaning "the common dialect". In Greek, κοινή means "common". Ancient scholars used the word "koine" in different ways. Some thought it referred to an early form of Greek, while others used it for everyday speech that was different from the literary language. Over time, Koine Greek became important for writing and speaking across many areas.

Main article: Κοινὴ διαλέκτος

Further information: Hellenistic Greece

Origins and history

Koine Greek developed as a common way of speaking among the soldiers led by Alexander the Great. It spread widely from the Ptolemaic Kingdom in Egypt to the Seleucid Empire in Mesopotamia. This new form of Greek replaced the many older dialects, making it easier for people everywhere to understand each other.

Later, during the time of the Roman Empire, Greek became the main language for communication in many places, even where other languages were spoken. Important places like Asia Minor, Arabia, Judaea, Syria, and Egypt all used Greek for writing and official matters. Scholars today believe that Koine Greek is mostly based on the Attic dialect, with some influences from other Greek dialects.