BC and AD
B.C. and A.D. are terms used to indicate years before and after the epoch, which serves as the reference point for calculating historical dates. All dates are recorded in relation to this epoch, with time divided into the years before and after it. The abbreviations “B.C.” and “A.D.”[1] were first introduced in the 6th century and are still widely used around the world today. Although, according to biblical accounts, the actual year of Jesus’ birth does not precisely align with this timeline, the system remains the standard for dating years.
The Birth of Jesus, Which Became the First Year of the Era
The person who first introduced B.C. (Before Christ) and A.D. (Anno Domini)—the basis of chronological calculation—was Dionysius Exiguus (470–544), a bishop of the Roman Catholic Church.[2]
When Dionysius established the epoch that divides human history into two periods, he chose the birth of Jesus Christ as the reference point. The year of Jesus’ birth was designated as the first year of the era—Year 1. Thus, the period before the birth of Jesus is referred to as “B.C.” (Before Christ), and the period after as “A.D.” (Anno Domini). “B.C.” is an English abbreviation meaning “Before Christ,” while “A.D.” is a Latin abbreviation for “Anno Domini,” meaning “in the year of the Lord.”
The Actual Year of Jesus’ Birth
The reason Jesus’ birth year was chosen as the dividing point of human history—into before and after—is that His birth marks a significant turning point in human history. However, the actual year of Jesus’ birth is not A.D. 1. Dionysius Exiguus, who first introduced the use of B.C. and A.D., miscalculated the date of Jesus’ birth.
According to the accounts in the New Testament books of Luke and Matthew, Jesus was born during the reign of Herod.[3] Historical evidence indicates that Herod died around 4 B.C.
In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) . . . While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them.
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, . . . When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi.
After hearing from the Magi that the King of the Jews had been born, Herod ordered the massacre of all male children two years old and under in Bethlehem and its surrounding areas. This age range was based on the time he had carefully inquired of the Magi. Herod reigned from 37 B.C. to 4 B.C. Based on the timeline of Herod’s reign, most historians and biblical scholars today estimate that Jesus was born sometime between 6 B.C. and 4 B.C.
Although the year of Jesus’ birth was miscalculated, resulting in an error in determining the first year of the era, the mistake was never corrected. This is because a vast portion of human history had already been recorded according to the epoch originally established by Dionysius.
Synonyms for B.C. and A.D.
The following are the synonyms for B.C. and A.D.
- B.C.: BCE
- A.D.: CE
- Explanation: Some use the more neutral terms BCE (Before the Common Era) in place of B.C., and CE (Common Era) instead of A.D.
See also
References
- ↑ In accordance with punctuation conventions, American English places a period after abbreviations, whereas British English may omit it.
- ↑ Dionysius Exiguus, The Free Dictionary
- ↑ Herod, Britannica