Some big influences on the syntax are Modula and Fortran. The first allows you to start an array with any index you like, the second starts it with one. As the

Some big influences on the syntax are Modula and Fortran. The first allows you to start an array with any index you like, the second starts it with one. As the article says, it started as a data language for engineers who may have been familiar with Fortran. The C-like languages were not as overwhelmingly common back when Lua started, as well.