Literature Oral storytelling is as old as speech, but writing allowed to codify epics. Gilgamesh is the first written tale. Sumer 2,500 BCE Literature Oral storytelling is as old as speech, but writing allowed to codify epics. Gilgamesh is the first written tale. Built on Writing Led to MonotheismLibrariesDream interpretationTroyGilgamesh foundSumeria Stories Toward a Republic of Letters