Stoudion minuscule

Stoudion minuscule refers to an early form of Greek calligraphy that emerged between the 8th and 10th centuries. This style developed from a documentary hand and is believed to have been pioneered by the Stoudion monastery in Constantinople.12

The introduction of minuscule was driven by the need for more economical use of vellum due to shortages of papyrus, the demand for a faster writing style during the iconoclastic controversy, and the revival of learning which required more texts.1

Key characteristics of early Stoudion minuscule include:
* Even, uniform letter sizes.1
* Letters joined according to strict rules, sometimes with ligatures.1
* No division between words.1
* Square breathings and small, neat accents.1
* Limited abbreviations, primarily for nomina sacra.1

Over time, uncial letter forms began to be incorporated alongside minuscule forms, and other characteristics, such as rounded breathings and writing that hung from ruled lines, also emerged.1