* Ancient Roots: The concept of expressing strong emotion in writing dates back to ancient times. Ancient Greek writers would sometimes use a mark like a dot or a dash above a word to indicate emphasis.
* Medieval Use: In medieval manuscripts, a symbol resembling a "!" was sometimes used to signify a pause or a change in tone, but it wasn't standardized.
* The Rise of the Modern Exclamation Point: The "!" we know today evolved over centuries, with various printers and writers experimenting with its use. The modern "!" started to appear in the 15th century and gradually gained popularity.
While there's no single "inventor," the most likely candidate for popularizing the exclamation mark is Aristophanes of Byzantium (c. 257 – 180 BC), a Greek scholar and grammarian. He is credited with developing a system of punctuation, including a mark similar to a "!" that was used to indicate a pause or emphasis.
However, it's important to note that his system wasn't widely adopted until much later, and the modern exclamation mark evolved over centuries with contributions from many individuals.