In the days of ancient Rome, it
was traditional to date the year in relationship with the original the
mythological founding of the city. In relationship with our current calendar,
this would have been about 753 BCE.
Roman dating was written by giving the year since the founding of Rome.
For example, in the year 1 CE, the Romans would have dated it 754 AUC (ab
urbe condita; since the founding of the city).
In the early years of Christianity, this dating system continued to be used.
Later on years would be counted from the end of the reign of the Roman Emperor
Diocletian. This would last until the 6th century CE, when a monk by the name
of Dionysus Exegesis (‘Dennis the Little’ as he is known in English lore) set
out to date the birth of Jesus Christ.
By moving backwards from Diocletian’s reign, he placed the birth of Jesus at
December 25th, 753 AUC.
This day, then, would be the beginning of the year 1 AD (Anno Domini, the Year
of our Lord). (In Medieval times New Year’s and Christmas were the same, it
would not change until much later.)
The new dating system developed by Dionysus did not immediately come into
effect throughout Christendom. In fact it would take several centuries for its
use to become completely standardized throughout the western Christian world.
Today, however, his dating is the standard for the calendar’s of much of the
world, although we now know he was inaccurate. (Jesus could not have been born
after 4 BCE). We also use BCE (Before the Common Era) and CE (Common Era) in
place of using the traditional BC and AD.
The calendar has a long and interesting history, and even today there is
talk of changing it. Movements exist, for example, to replace our calendar with
a 13 month year that would make every month be of equal days, with a special
World Holiday at the end of the year. There are other changes which people wish
to make as well. In the future we might follow a calendar very different than
the one we have now, but for the moment it seems that the Gregorian calendar is
here to stay.