Katherine McDonald

A fragment of text inscribed on the Mesha Stele, c.840 BC. Louvre/Wiki Commons.

Easy as ABC

What were the origins of the alphabet, before the Greeks?

A stela with Oscan inscription from Pompeii, first century BC, reading: ‘Vibius Popidius, son of Vibius, chief magistrate, was in charge of this work and the same man approved it.’ (The Trustees of the British Museum)

The Language of the Roman Empire

Latin was used throughout the Roman Empire, but it shared space with a host of other languages and dialects, including Greek, Oscan and Etruscan, which give us a unique perspective on the ancient world.