⚠️This fact has been debunked
Punctuation has existed since ancient times. Greeks used dot-based systems as early as the 5th century BC, and Aristophanes of Byzantium formalized a system around 200 BC. Romans used interpuncts in Classical Latin. What IS true is that the 15th century saw major standardization of modern punctuation marks (comma, semicolon) through Venetian printer Aldus Manutius and the printing press.
There was no punctuation until the 15th century.
The Ancient History of Punctuation Marks
The claim that punctuation didn't exist until the 15th century is a myth—and it's off by about 1,700 years. While the 15th century did bring major changes to how we use punctuation, the story of these tiny marks actually stretches back to ancient Greece and Rome.
Ancient Greeks Invented the Dot
Around the 5th century BC, Greek playwrights like Euripides started marking the ends of sentences to help actors know when to pause during performances. By 200 BC, Aristophanes of Byzantium—head librarian at the famous Library of Alexandria—formalized a system using dots placed at different heights to indicate different types of pauses. A high dot meant a long pause (like our period), a middle dot meant a medium pause (like a semicolon), and a low dot meant a short pause (like a comma).
Before this, Greek texts were written in scriptio continua—continuous script with no spaces between words, no capitalization, and definitely no punctuation. Reading ancient manuscripts was like decoding: ITLOOKEDLIKETHISANDYOUHADTOFIGUREOUTWHEREONETHOUGHTENEDANDANOTHEREBEGAN.
The Romans Had Their Own System
Classical Latin took a different approach. Romans used the interpunct—a centered dot between words—especially in monuments and inscriptions. During the Classical Age, formal Latin writing was not only separated into words but also divided into sentences and clauses using special punctuation marks. This practice continued in Latin manuscripts until at least the 2nd century AD, long after the Greeks had abandoned it.
So What Happened in the 15th Century?
Here's where the confusion comes from: the printing press revolutionized punctuation. Venetian printer Aldus Manutius and his grandson are credited with standardizing the modern system we use today. In 1494, Manutius invented the semicolon in Pietro Bembo's account of climbing Mount Etna. He also created the modern comma by modifying the virgule (slash) and popularized the use of periods, parentheses, and other marks.
The printing press made standardization necessary. When books were hand-copied by medieval scribes, punctuation varied wildly from manuscript to manuscript. But printed books needed consistency so readers across Europe could understand them. Manutius didn't invent punctuation—he standardized it for the modern era.
- 5th century BC: Greek playwrights mark sentence endings
- 200 BC: Aristophanes creates the three-dot system
- Classical Rome: Interpuncts separate words and clauses
- 600-800 AD: Spaces between words become common in medieval manuscripts
- 1494 AD: Aldus Manutius invents the semicolon and standardizes the comma
The Takeaway
Punctuation marks are ancient technology, not a Renaissance invention. They evolved over millennia from simple dots aiding oral performance to the sophisticated system that helps you understand this sentence right now. The 15th century didn't create punctuation—it just gave us the version we recognize today, printed and standardized for mass distribution. Without those ancient Greeks experimenting with dots 2,500 years ago, you'd still be reading like this: WITHNOBREAKSANDNOPAUSESANDNOIDEAWHERESENTENCESBEGINOREND.