The Greek bishop who created the early german alphabet

Ancient Greek and German may seem completely different, however, a Greek bishop and Christian missionary named Ulfilas played an unexpectedly important role in codifying the early Germanic language into written form.

Ο Ουλφίλας, που είχε γοτθική καταγωγή από Έλληνες της Καππαδοκίας και έζησε τον 4ο αιώνα μ.Χ., κήρυττε στους Γότθους, έναν αρχαίο γερμανικό λαό, μετατρέποντάς τους στην Αριανή εκδοχή του Χριστιανισμού.

Another great achievement of his was the creation of the Gothic language in literary form, using his knowledge of Greek and Latin.

The Goths were an ancient Germanic people who played a decisive role in European history during late antiquity and the early medieval period. Although their exact origins remain unclear, the 6th-century historian Jordanes mentions that they may have originated in Scandinavia.

In any case, the Goths spread throughout Europe, especially during the 4th and 5th centuries AD. Although they were at times allies of the Roman Empire as foederati, they also posed a threat to the Western and Eastern Roman Empires.

The most famous Gothic leader was Alaric I, king of the Visigoths, who invaded Greece in 395 AD, sacking cities such as Piraeus, Corinth, Argos and Sparta, while in 410 AD he sacked Rome.

According to the 4th-5th century church historian Philostorgius, Ulfilas, whose Gothic name probably means "little wolf", was born to parents of Greek origin from Cappadocia. In 264 AD, his parents appear to have been captured by the Goths in a village in Cappadocia and taken to a Gothic settlement on the Danube. Despite his upbringing as a Goth, he later learned Greek and Latin.

At some point in his life, he traveled To constantinople, probably to receive clerical training. There he was influenced By Arian christians and ordained bishop by Eusebius of Nicomedia, the same one who baptized Constantine the Great on his deathbed.

After his ordination, he returned to the Goths and preached Christianity for seven years. However, in 348 AD he was expelled, probably due to religious persecution, as some Gothic leaders, such as Athanaric, feared that Christianity would corrupt Gothic culture.

Ο Ουλφίλας κατέφυγε στην Ανατολική Ρωμαϊκή Αυτοκρατορία μαζί με ομάδα πιστών και μετέφρασε την Καινή Διαθήκη και μεγάλα μέρη της Παλαιάς Διαθήκης στα γοτθικά από τα ελληνικά. Για να ολοκληρώσει αυτή την εργασία, δημιούργησε ένα νέο αλφάβητο, το οποίο σε μεγάλο βαθμό βασίστηκε στο ελληνικό. Πολλοί μελετητές, όπως ο Wilhelm Braune, έχουν επισημάνει τις ομοιότητες μεταξύ του ελληνικού και του γοτθικού αλφαβήτου που δημιούργησε ο Ουλφίλας.