Adamantios Korais, born on 27 April 1748 in Smyrna, was a prominent Greek scholar and a key figure in the Greek Enlightenment. His father, Ioannis, held a position similar to a local leader within the Greek community of Smyrna. Korais demonstrated a strong passion for philosophy, literacy, and linguistics from a young age, graduating from the Evangelical Greek School in his hometown. He briefly worked as a merchant in Amsterdam before pursuing higher education, studying various languages including Hebrew, Dutch, French, and English, alongside ancient Greek and Latin.From 1782 to 1787, Korais attended the University of Montpellier, where he earned his medical degree. His doctoral thesis, titled Medicus Hippocraticus, was completed in 1787. After his studies, he moved to Paris, where he began translating ancient Greek authors, producing thirty volumes of translations and establishing himself as one of the first modern Greek philologists. He spent the majority of his life in Paris, where he became critical of the Byzantine influence on Greek society and the lack of education among the clergy, while acknowledging the Orthodox Church's role in preserving Greek identity.Korais believed that Western Europe was the rightful heir to ancient Greek civilization and advocated for education as a means to transmit this heritage to modern Greeks. He promoted the use of the terms 'Hellene' and 'Graikos' as ethnonyms for Greeks, rejecting the term 'Romiós.' His experiences during the French Revolution influenced his political views, and he encouraged wealthy Greeks to establish libraries and schools. Korais envisioned a democratic Greece that would revive the glory of its ancient past.Korais published numerous works, including translations of classical texts and political writings. His notable publications included 'Asma Polemistirion' and 'Salpisma Polemistirion,' which celebrated Greek troops fighting alongside the French in Egypt. He also wrote 'Report on the Present State of Civilization in Greece,' highlighting the connection between a new mercantile class and the Modern Greek Enlightenment. Although initially supportive of Napoleon, his views shifted over time, and he later criticized him as a tyrant.Korais was a Greek Orthodox Christian but criticized many practices of the Orthodox Church, viewing the Ecumenical Patriarchate as a tool of Ottoman control. He supported the establishment of the new Church of Greece and advocated for religious freedom and rationalism. His efforts contributed to the standardization of the modern Greek language, proposing a 'katharevousa,' a purified version of Greek based on ecclesiastical language and Koine Greek, which later gained acceptance among scholars and the state.Korais also had a significant impact on the legal and constitutional framework of Greece. His correspondence with legal scholar N. I. Saripolos influenced the development of the Greek Constitution after the Revolution. Korais's ideas on democracy and law were rooted in Enlightenment principles, particularly those of Montesquieu.Korais died in Paris on 6 April 1833, shortly after publishing the first volume of his autobiography. His remains were transferred to Greece in 1877. He was honored as 'Pater Patriae' by revolutionaries at the Third National Assembly at Troezen, and his legacy is commemorated through various institutions and public spaces named after him, including the Korais Library in Chios.