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Dr. Dave

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What is the earliest year (A.D.) which people referred to as "this year"?

In the earliest days (A.D.), it is obvious (at least to me) that the people didn't refer to the year they were living in as "45", or "1", or such early numbers. They probably still refererred to the date as in the reign of Nero, or some such. When did people start referring to the year that they were living in in the current A.D. system? I know that when Constatine established Christianity as the "official" religion, it was about 306 A.D. When did the current numbering start--i.e., when did someone say "I'm living in the year 128" or whatever it was?

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history, calendar, early, year, current, a.d.

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OronD

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Hi,

As far as I know at ancient times people refer to the year the city of Rome was established as a base for their count of years. Later on they used to refer to the year of a specific ceasar was in power (e.g: 3rd year to caesar Aspasianus). The first to relate the birth of J.C. was Donysius Exiguus of Rome at about 525 A.D. The first to adopt his "system" was the Historion Victor Maturna (not sure I remember correctly his name). Than by Beda Venerabilis (lived 672 - 735 AD)..... and than slowly slowly was adopted as THE system to count years. So the answer to your question is clear now: You won't find anything that is B4 about 525 AD (and most probablly not even 15 years later). Several other counting systems were suggested (e.g: the Martyriai) but were not adopted / accepted. I think it's intersting.
Best regards,

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Dr. Dave

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Thanks for the info; it is more than I knew. However,specifically as to the point of Emperor Constantine, how was his "conversion" to Christianity measured as having occurred in the year 306 A.D? Was it enumerated in retrospect? If so, how did they remember, in 525, in what year it had happened?

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Dr. Dave

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I was well educated as to the answer of my question. However, I still have some unanswered points to clarify.

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