Who conceived the definition of protagonist means the character who drive the plot?

Here you go:

https://www.etymonline.com/word/protagonist

Mmm, but what is the origin of the ancient Greek word prōtagōnistēs? “Who came up with that idea” would be someone ancient, or even from pre-written language, as for example oral Homeric epic poetry also features protagonists. And whether there was a word for it or not, it seems at some level just to be a natural feature of telling most stories.

^^ I thought the question was oddly worded too. Usually, there isn’t a single inventor of a word; language or a concept just evolves over time.

One of the weirdest cross-generational things I encounter is the apparent notion that nothing much existed before they (we?) came along. Is this just as illusion on my part?

@kneesox No, or at least, something like you mention, has gone on for many centuries. People tend to think their current culture’s ideas and thinking are new and likely better/smarter than anything before, while not only underestimating past generations, but also underestimating what they don’t know about the past.

@Zaku, and also forgetting how soon their own era will be “the olden days” and they themselves will be seen as very primitive, no matter how enlightened they think they are in the present. Their own kids are going to think they’re past their best-by date.