Cuneiform times of Parthian Empire (250 BC – AD 226). The last known cuneiform inscription, an astronomical text, was written in 75 AD. The complexity of the system prompted the development of a number of simplified versions of the script. Old Persian was written in a subset of simplified cuneiform characters known today as Old Persian cuneiform. It formed a semi-alphabetic syllabary, using far fewer wedge strokes than Assyrian used, together with a handful of logograms for frequently occurring words like "god" and "king". Ugaritic was written using the Ugaritic alphabet, a standard Semitic style alphabet (an "abjad") written using the
Ne (cuneiform) Ne (cuneiform) [[File:B313ellst.png|437px|left|thumb|Cuneiform sign for bil-(=bí), kúm, ne, pil, ṭè, and as [[sumerogram]]s BIL, and NE, (sign uses from the "[[Epic of Gilgamesh]]").]] [[File:BM 29785 EA 9 Reverse.jpg|thumb|right|315px|[[Amarna letter EA 9]]-("Reverse"), [[Tushratta]] to Pharaoh, with usage of cuneiform "bil" in the spelling of "qabû", "to say, tell", Paragraph 1 (tablet obverse). <br>(high resolution, expandible photo, and last line, 3rd sign from left — [[bi (cuneiform)|bi]]), a common multi-use, multi-syllabic sign]] The [[cuneiform]] Ne sign, is found in both the 14th century BC [[Amarna letters]] and the "[[Epic of Gilgamesh]]". In the Amarna letters, it is especially used in the opening,