I saw this mentioned in https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/comments/2jf5a6/the_order_of_the_alphabet/:
The origins of these Runic alphabets is somewhat mysterious, they probably have their origins in the Old Italic alphabets mentioned as they emerge during times of contact between Germanic peoples and the expanding Roman Empire, with exchanges such as German tribes selling mercenaries to the Roman armies, but because they are substantially different from the Etruscan/Roman forms they are sometimes connected with alternative forms of Old Italic alphabets. On a related note, despite the fact that the Romans occupied much of the British isles from 43 to 410 AD the Welsh language was also not written with the Latin alphabet until afterwards, the earliest examples found being from the 6th c. AD.
What evidence is there for this theory? Is there a resemblance between Runic and some alternative Old Italic alphabets?
There most certainly is a resemblance. Take a look at the inscription on this early Latin vessel or this Etruscan helmet. Recent scholars, like Theo Vennemann, have suggested that the Germanic runes originated more directly from the Phoenician script, since the earliest instances are found further east than a Roman origin would suggest, and several letters unconnected to the Latin can be explained better as Phoenician derivatives.
