This article sets out to question the claim that “postmodernism” is merely a development of the second half of the 20th century. What is unique about contemporary postmodernism is the way in which it has combined intellectual developments that emerged during the past five hundred years in a special manner. Therefore the supposed relatively recent origin of postmodernity it is not only misleading but also historically unsound. This is shown by going back to the pre- Enlightenment roots of both “modernity” and “postmodernity” – and it is done by accounting for the emergence and historical sources of modern irrationalism, historicism and the so-called “linguistic turn”.