Here are the five main dialects of ancient Greek that have been found on inscriptions. They are divided based on geography, with regional subdivisions. Following the ancient dialects are the other, more modern Greek languages.
1. Attic-Ionic Greek (represented in literature)
2. Achaean
- Arcadian
- Cyprian
- Pamphylian
3. Aeolic (represented in literature)
- Lesbian
- Thessalian
- Boeotian
4. Doric (represented in literature)
- Laconian-Heraclean
- Messenian
- Argolic
- Megarian,
- Corinthian
- Rhodian
- Theran-Melian
- Coan-Calymnian
- Cretan
5. Northwest Greek
- Phocian
- Locrian
- Elean
6. Koine Greek
4th century B.C. to A.D. 4th century, the language of the New Testament and Septuagint, which spread during the Hellenistic era throughout the empire of Alexander the Great. Koine was based on the classical Attic Greek modified by Alexander's soldiers's dialects [Greek Grammar Beyond the Basics: An Exegetical Syntax of the New Testament, by Daniel B. Wallace; 1997]. The language was simplified and made more explicit to meet the needs of a universal language.Koine is the feminine form of the Greek adjective for 'common' (koinos) to go with either the Greek noun dialektos or glossa 'dialect' or 'language'.
