The Goths and their language.

  Götaland (green)

  The island of Gotland (pink)

  Wielbark culture in the early 3rd century (red)

  Chernyakhov culture, in the early 4th century

  (orange)

  Roman Empire (purple)

The Goths were an East Germanic people who played a significant role in the history of Europe during late antiquity. The Gothic language, which they spoke, is the earliest known Germanic language attested in writing.

The Goths originated in what is now southern Scandinavia and northern Germany. They were known to have migrated southward and settled in various regions, including present-day Poland, Ukraine, and the Baltic states. By the 3rd century, they had divided into two main branches: the Visigoths (Western Goths) and the Ostrogoths (Eastern Goths).

Gothic kingdoms 

In the 4th century, the Goths came into contact with the Roman Empire. Initially, they were allies of Rome, serving as foederati (federated troops) and being granted lands within the empire. However, tensions arose, and conflicts between the Goths and the Romans eventually led to the sack of Rome by the Visigoths in 410 AD under the leadership of Alaric I.

The Gothic language.

The Gothic language is primarily known from the Codex Argenteus (Silver Bible), a 6th-century manuscript containing portions of the Bible translated into Gothic. The language shows similarities to other Germanic languages but also displays unique features. The Gothic alphabet, known as the "Gothic script," was an adaptation of the Greek alphabet with some additional characters.

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the Ostrogoths established a powerful kingdom in Italy under the leadership of Theodoric the Great. Their reign lasted from 493 to 553 AD, when they were defeated by the Byzantine Empire.

Over time, the Goths assimilated into different cultures, and the Gothic language gradually disappeared. By the 9th century, it had become extinct. However, the Gothic people left a lasting impact on European history and played a pivotal role in the transformation of the Roman Empire. Their influence can be seen in various aspects, including architecture, art, and literature.

Excerpt from the Codex Argentum in the Gothic language.

Here is an example of an excerpt from the Codex Argenteus written in Gothic, along with its translation and grammar explanation:

Original Gothic text:

𐍅𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌰𐌽𐌳𐍉 𐌱𐌴𐌾𐌿𐌽𐌹 𐌰𐌲𐍂𐌰 𐍃𐌰𐌨𐍂𐍉 𐌷𐌰𐍂𐌹 𐌳𐌹𐌻𐌾 𐌱𐌰𐌹𐌷𐌴𐌹 𐌹𐌰𐌼𐌾𐌹 𐌳𐌰𐌹𐌵𐍉 𐌴𐌽𐌰𐌷𐍄𐍉𐌽 𐌹𐌰𐍄𐍅𐍉𐌼𐌰𐌿𐌳𐍉 𐌱𐍉𐌳𐌾 𐌷𐌹𐌻𐌨𐌴𐌹𐌼𐌾𐌹 𐌴𐌹 𐌲𐌿𐌳𐍅𐌹 𐌲𐌰𐌻𐌾𐌰𐌽𐍃 𐌹𐌽 𐌷𐍂𐌳𐌹 𐌳𐌰𐌻𐌾 𐌹𐌾𐌰𐌨𐌽𐌰𐌹 𐍈𐌰𐌲𐌾𐌰𐌽𐌳𐍉 𐌹𐌺𐌹𐌻𐌰 𐍃𐌾𐌿𐌷𐍄𐌹.

Translation:

And they compelled him to carry the cross for Jesus.

Grammar explanation:

- The first word, 𐍅𐌰𐌹𐍂𐌰𐌽𐌳𐍉 (and) is a coordinating conjunction, connecting two clauses.

- The verb 𐌱𐌴𐌾𐌿𐌽𐌹 (they compelled) is in the past tense, third person plural.

- The word 𐌰𐌲𐍂𐌰 (him) is the accusative singular form of the pronoun 'he.'

- The noun 𐍃𐌰𐌨𐍂𐍉 (cross) is in the accusative singular form.

- The preposition 𐌷𐌰𐍂𐌹 (for) is followed by the genitive form of the noun 𐌳𐌹𐌻𐌾 (Jesus).

- The verb 𐌱𐌰𐌹𐌷𐌴𐌹 (to carry) is an infinitive form.

- The pronoun 𐌹𐌰𐌼𐌾𐌹 (he) is in the accusative singular form.

- The noun 𐌳𐌰𐌹𐌵𐍉 (cross) is in the accusative singular form.

- The verb 𐌴𐌽𐌰𐌷𐍄𐍉𐌽 (to compel) is an infinitive form.

- The pronoun 𐌹𐌰𐍄𐍅𐍉𐌼𐌰𐌿𐌳𐍉 (him) is in the accusative singular form.

- The verb 𐌱𐍉𐌳𐌾 (to carry) is an infinitive form.

- The preposition 𐌷𐌹𐌻𐌨𐌴𐌹𐌼𐌾𐌹 (for) is followed by the genitive form of the pronoun 𐌴𐌹 (him).

- The adjective 𐌲𐌿𐌳𐍅𐌹 (Jesus) is in the genitive singular form.

- The verb 𐌲𐌰𐌻𐌾𐌰𐌽𐍃 (to crucify) is an infinitive form.

- The pronoun 𐌹𐌽 (to) is in the accusative singular form.

- The verb 𐌷𐍂𐌳𐌹 (to compel) is in the past tense, third person plural.

- The noun 𐌳𐌰𐌻𐌾 (cross) is in the accusative singular form.

- The pronoun 𐌹𐌾𐌰𐌨𐌽𐌰𐌹 (him) is in the accusative singular form.

- The verb 𐍈𐌰𐌲𐌾𐌰𐌽𐌳𐍉 (to compel) is an infinitive form.

- The pronoun 𐌹𐌺𐌹𐌻𐌰 (he) is in the accusative singular form.

- The noun 𐍃𐌾𐌿𐌷𐍄𐌹 (Jesus) is in the accusative singular form.