Really Stupid Question About Dates

[sp1814]

You know we use the phrase 10BC and 650AD

Well, before the birth of Christ, how were dates expressed?

I know there are very few people around now who were alive in the BC era (apart from a couple of the Rolling Stones), but if anyone knows the answer, I'd appreciazte it!

[Gromit]

Different civilisations used different ways of counting and naming years.

The Roman Empire use this (from Wikipedia)

"Years

In the Roman Republic, the years were not counted. Instead they were named after the consuls who were in power at the beginning of the year (see List of Republican Roman Consuls). For example, 205 BC was The year of the consulship of Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus and Publius Licinius Crassus. Lists of consuls were maintained in the fasti.

However, in the later Republic, historians and scholars began to count years from the founding of the city of Rome. Different scholars used different dates for this event. The date most widely used today is that calculated by Varro, 753 BC, but other systems varied by up to several decades. Dates given by this method are numbered ab urbe condita (meaning after the founding of the city, and abbreviated AUC). When reading ancient works using AUC dates, care must be taken to determine the epoch used by the author before translating the date into a Julian year.
The first day of the consular term, which was effectively the first day of the year, changed several times during Roman history. It became 1 January in 153 BC. Before then it was 15 March. Earlier changes are a little less certain. There is good reason to believe it was 1 May for most of the third century BC, till 222 BC. Livy mentions consulates starting on 1 July before then, and arguments exist for other dates at earlier times."

[China Doll]

Tut... I thought this question would be more interesting than this!

[4GS]

China
I'd like to know what year it would be if we didn't start counting from the birth of Jesus.

[Gromit]

Were in the 10th epoch of Labor Blairius et Brownius

[China Doll]

I thought Splat was going to ask about dating etiqutte.

This thread is far too intellectual for me.

I'm off to talk about cheese.

[sp1814]

Gromit - thank you for your research and answer.

CD - sorry to disappoint....the question came up last night in the pub, but the answer is way too complicated to explain to my mates, so I think I'll leave it.

Incidentally, thank you for assuming that a question I have regarding 'dates' should be consigned to the history secion of AB.

Tell me, how is that saucer of milk for you? Right temperature and everything?

[China Doll]

I'm cracking up here... I hadn't even considered the catty implications of what I wrote.

However, it is definitely safe for me to say that this thread is full of old blokes and I'm the token 'young bit.'

Besides Splat, I'd never put your dating life in History... Myths & Legends maybe but not history...

Saunters off with tail in the air

[jno]

laws were often attributed to the reigning sovereign - 6th year of Edward III and so on - so I suppose 55 Elizabeth II or something like that.

[4GS]

Resurects Sgt johnlambert, points at sp1814 "Oi, That man there"
the answer is way too complicated to explain?
Why not try?
I'm not that fick you know

[China Doll]

T'was Gromit's answer that Splat can't be bothered to explain I think.

It's ok, you're quite old and your glasses aren't on properly and besides the font is quite small... did you want me to get you a blanket for your legs?

[4GS]

Yes please China, a tartan one, to match my poor old eyes ;-))

[sp1814]

4GS

China's right...I was referring to Gromit's answer.

However, I've just re-read your post, and indeed, my mates would have difficulty understanding that too.

I surround myself with slightly stupid friends. It ensures my
continuing air of ill-deserved superiority.

[jake-the-peg]

We'll be your friends SP

Oh maybe that's what he meant!

[China Doll]

It's so rare that I see 'China's right' on here.... I may well get that framed.

[Miss Chief]

China - I thought exactly the same until I saw it was in the history and myths section - what a let down.

[Lil O'lady]

The Jewish calendar rates this year as 5700 and something (see http://www.jewfaq.org/calendar.htm) and the current islamic year is 1428 - counted on from the time that the Prophet did a flit from one place to another. Hindu's see this year as 5107.

[gizakloo]

sp1814 - the answer then would've depended where you were in the world, and what religion & political allegiances it was safest to follow. Now, it doesn't matter where you are, or even if you privately use a calendar of your own - everyone's just given up & adopted the same one throughout the world, as it makes life so much easier.