The Ampersand, Part 1
I start the ampersand story in Rome, with Cicero, Tiro’s shorthand and a scrappy graffiti ligature in Pompeii, and follow how this improvised “et” began its long rivalry with the venerable Tironian et.
Rolly's Take
This blog speaks to the curious minds who find beauty in the overlooked and the underdog stories that history often forgets. It resonates with those who savor the layers of meaning behind symbols—the kind of person who lingers over a well-crafted sentence, searching for the whispers of the past woven into our language. Here, the ampersand emerges as a quiet hero, inviting reflection on its journey from obscurity to ubiquity, a reminder of how even the simplest things can hold intricate tales. It's a space for the contemplative who appreciate history's nuances, and who understand that every character, like every individual, has a story worthy of exploration.