| Primary use | Religious texts, artistic works |
| Spoken today | On the island of Cyprus |
| Also known as | Mycenaean Greek |
| Developed from | Independent of Ancient Greek |
| Writing system | Linear B |
| Reason for continuity | Mycenaean migration, preservation of Linear B script |
Hellenic Greek, also known as Mycenaean Greek or simply Mycenaean, is an ancient language that developed independent of Ancient Greek (also called Classical Greek) and is primarily used by the Mycenaean civilization. Despite their linguistic similarities, Hellenic Greek and Ancient Greek are distinct and should not be confused. In this alternate timeline, Hellenic Greek plays a significant role in the cultural and religious life of the Mycenaeans and survives on the island of Cyprus to this day.
Hellenic Greek is believed to have originated in the Aegean Sea region during the Bronze Age. It developed in parallel with, but independently of, Ancient Greek. The language has its roots in the proto-Indo-European language and is thought to have emerged as a distinct dialect around the time of the Mycenaean civilization's rise to prominence.
Although Hellenic Greek and Ancient Greek share a common ancestor and many similarities in vocabulary and grammar, they are distinct languages with their own unique features and characteristics. In this alternate timeline, Hellenic Greek did not evolve into Ancient Greek as it did in our timeline, but remained a separate language used primarily for religious texts and artistic works.
Within the Mycenaean civilization, Hellenic Greek was primarily used for religious texts, artistic works, and other cultural expressions. It coexisted with Linear B, a syllabic script used for administrative tasks such as accounting, record-keeping, and legal documents. Together, Linear B and Hellenic Greek played essential roles in the Mycenaean civilization's cultural and administrative functions.
Unlike many ancient languages that have died out or been relegated to historical texts, Hellenic Greek continues to be spoken and written today on the island of Cyprus, thanks to the Mycenaean migration that occurred in the 12th century BCE. This migration allowed the Mycenaeans to establish a new society on Cyprus that preserved the use of Linear B and perpetuated the use and development of Hellenic Greek. As a result, Hellenic Greek has remained in continuous use, unlike other ancient writing systems that have been lost to history.
