The Christians and their social status in Gothia in 4th century

Abstract

The Christians first appeared among the Goths in the 3rd century as a result of the capture of Christian slaves from the plundering of Anatolian provinces. Their presence is confirmed in several sources and particularly by the letter of Gregorius Thaumaturgus to the Pontic bishop, answering his questions on how he should deal with Christians who had transgressed against the faith and their co-believers (PG.10.1020–48). The Christian slaves in Gothia, despite their new reduced status of life, not only maintained their Christianity, but seem rather to have also started to influence their new masters. In this respect the missionary aspect of Christianity as a belief system, according to which it was an imperative for the believers to spread the “Good News” to all the creatures (MK 16,15), should not be underestimated. These slaves gradually merged with the Gothic community and became an integral part of Gothic society.