<P> The usage of Hellene as a religious term was initially part of an exclusively Christian nomenclature, but some Pagans began to defiantly call themselves Hellenes . Other pagans even preferred the narrow meaning of the word: from a broad cultural sphere to a more specific religious grouping . However, there were many Christians and pagans alike who strongly objected to the evolution of the terminology . The influential Archbishop of Constantinople Gregory of Nazianzus, for example, took offence at imperial efforts to suppress Hellenic culture (especially concerning spoken and written Greek) and he openly criticized the emperor . </P> <P> The growing religious stigmatization of Hellenism had a chilling effect on Hellenic culture by the late 4th century . </P> <P> By late antiquity, however, it was possible to speak Greek as a primary language while not conceiving of oneself as a Hellene . The long - established use of Greek both in and around the Eastern Roman Empire as a lingua franca ironically allowed it to instead become central in enabling the spread of Christianity--as indicated for example by the use of Greek for the Epistles of Paul . In the first half of the 5th century, Greek was the standard language in which bishops communicated, and the Acta Conciliorum ("Acts of the Church Councils") were recorded originally in Greek and then translated into other languages . </P> <P> Heathen comes from Old English hæðen (not Christian or Jewish); cf. Old Norse heiðinn . This meaning for the term originated from Gothic haiþno (gentile woman) being used to translate Hellene (cf . Mark 7: 26) in Wulfila's Bible, the first translation of the Bible into a Germanic language . This may have been influenced by the Greek and Latin terminology of the time used for pagans . If so, it may be derived from Gothic haiþi (dwelling on the heath). However, this is not attested . It may even be a borrowing of Greek ἔθνος (ethnos) via Armenian hethanos . </P>

What's the origin of the word pagan