While other ancient civilizations developed writing systems, the Phoenician alphabet is considered the predecessor to the alphabet used by most modern languages. It was a simplified system based on symbols representing consonant sounds, which made it easier to learn and use than previous syllabic or logographic scripts.
The Phoenician alphabet spread throughout the Mediterranean region and was adopted by the Greeks, who further adapted it to include vowel sounds. This Greek alphabet eventually formed the basis for the Latin alphabet, which is used by most European languages and many others around the world.