Ancient Sources
Who was the first Greek explorer to describe the Germanic lands in the 4th century BC?
Pytheas.
What was the main type of houses Germanic tribes lived in?
Scattered wooden houses.
What was the common ancestor of all Germanic languages?
Proto-Germanic.
100 – What were the first Germanic letters carved on stones and wood called?
Runes (Futhark).
Name the Old English epic poem about a hero fighting monsters and a dragon.
Beowulf.
Which Roman general wrote “The Gallic War” describing battles with Germanic tribes?
Julius Caesar.
What did they mainly wear as clothing?
Short cloaks or animal skins.
Which three branches did Proto-Germanic split into?
East Germanic, North Germanic, West Germanic.
Which alphabet was created by Ulfilas for the Gothic Bible?
Gothic alphabet.
Which North Germanic work contains poems about gods and heroes?
The Edda.
Who gave the first classification of Germanic tribes in “Natural History”?
Pliny the Elder.
What was the name for a tribe named after its leader?
Kuning.
300 – Which branch includes English, German, Dutch, and Frisian?
West Germanic.
In which century did Germanic peoples adopt the Latin alphabet?
7th century.
Which Germanic tribes migrated to Britain in the 5th century?
Angles, Saxons, Jutes, Frisians.
Which historian described Germanic customs, appearance, and society in “Germania”?
Tacitus
Name two physical traits of the Germanic tribes described by Tacitus.
Tall, blue-eyed, reddish-haired.
400 – Which bishop translated the Bible into Gothic in the 4th century?
Ulfilas.
Which three scripts were used by Germanic tribes across history?
Runes, Gothic alphabet, Latin alphabet.
Which East Germanic people were among the first to accept Christianity?
The Goths.
Name two main leaders in Germanic tribes, according to Tacitus.
Kings (by noble birth) and chiefs (by bravery).
List any three gods the Germanic tribes worshipped according to Tacitus.
Mercury, Hercules, Mars.
What is the name of the Gothic manuscript written in silver and gold on red parchment?
The Silver Codex.
500 – Why did the Latin alphabet replace earlier scripts?
Because Christianity spread in Europe.
How did Viking voyages in the 9th century influence North Germanic languages?
Old Norse split into Old Danish, Old Swedish, Old Icelandic.