The Babylonian writing system, also known as the cuneiform writing system, is one of the oldest known forms of writing. It was developed by the ancient Sumerians of Mesopotamia around 3,500 BCE. The term cuneiform comes from the Latin word "cuneus" which means wedge. This is because the writing is made up of wedge-shaped marks pressed into clay tablets. Other synonyms for the Babylonian writing system include the Sumerian writing system, the Akkadian writing system, and the Mesopotamian writing system. These names emphasize the geographical and cultural regions in which the writing system was used. Despite the emergence of new writing systems, such as the Greek and Latin alphabets, cuneiform continued to be used in Mesopotamia until around the 1st century CE.