| Type | Alphabet |
| Developed | 12th Century BCE |
| Influences | |
| Current usage | |
| Place of origin | |
| Languages written |
Aramaic is a widely used alphabet that originated from the interactions between Linear B and Phoenician scripts in the 12th century BCE. This alternate alphabet developed among the Mycenaean migrants to the island of Cyprus and Phoenician traders, resulting in a synthesis that eventually became known as the Aramaic alphabet.
Mycenaean migrants, who fled their Bronze Age civilization's collapse and settled on Cyprus in the 12th century BCE, brought with them the Linear B script adapted from Linear A. Interactions between these Mycenaeans and Phoenician traders resulted in the creation of the Aramaic alphabet, which initially facilitated the writing of the Mycenaean language.
Aramaic, as a distinct alphabet, developed mainly in the Levant, spreading to various regions and evolving into various scripts, such as Imperial Aramaic, Syriac, and Mandaean. These variations of the Aramaic alphabet became widely used for writing both Aramaic and Hebrew languages, as well as other Semitic languages.
The Aramaic alphabet is composed of 22 consonantal graphemes, each representing a consonant sound. Unlike Linear B, it does not include vowel markers in its original form. The script can be written in either cursive or lapidary, the latter commonly reserved for monumental inscriptions.
Aramaic has been a significant influence in the development of several other scripts, including the ancient Greek alphabet and various Semitic alphabets. Its flexibility allowed it to be adopted by multiple languages, thereby making it an essential script for documentation, religious, and literary purposes.
The Aramaic language and alphabet served as the administrative language of the Neo-Assyrian, neo-Babylonian, and Achaemenid empires, which facilitated its spread throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia. In this alternate timeline, where Aramaic continued to evolve and adopt various scripts, its significance in history is noteworthy for having played a critical role in the development of writing systems and cultural exchanges.
As a testament to the importance of Aramaic, the Jewish Bible, known as the Tanakh, features passages written in Aramaic, signifying the influence and widespread use of the Aramaic language throughout history. Additionally, the Aramaic script is still in use today in various communities, with recent inscriptions (20th-21st centuries) found in Aramaic in regions like Turkey, Syria, and Iran.
