Same question came up on Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/interestingasfuck/comments/8am0si/e...
> Linguist here! In those ancient languages, there was no standard writing direction or standardized spelling conventions. In fact the Greeks often wrote in either direction alternating in a method called "boustrophedon" which means "ox-turning." You get to the end of the line and then write backwards to the other side of the page; it's actually much better for reading.
Answer by sandscript