What was the unit for measuring years before Jesus and that stuff? Of course it wasn't "we are in 320 B.C."

Answer 1

the romans used to measure the number of years which had elapsed since rome was built.

they called their system 'ab urbe condita' ['since the city was founded'].

different cultures used different dates, but usually counted from a similar mythical even which happened a long time ago (as we still do).

Answer 2

The precise length of the year has not always been known,e.g. Babylonians set it at 360 days. Julius and Augustus Caesar and Pope Gregory adjusted it further. It can never be exact, for the length of the solar year is not an even number of solar days. The year is about 365.25 days, but not exactly, so leap years are omitted in 2100, 2200 and 2300, but 2400 is the next century leap year. The Chinese had and have a calendar that may be the oldest one surviving. It is Year 4804 by it. Allain Silberstein makes a watch with the Jewish calendar. I plan to make one with the Chinese calendar. I may make a wristwatch with century leap year corrector. Some pocketwatches have this, but only Sven Andersen has made such a wristwatch. Istvan Hansly had plans for such a watch, but he died before completing it. Some people do not want to use Christ, so they say "C.E." (Common Era), not A.D. , and B.C.E.

Answer 3

By the way, it should be noted that for a good long while after the death of Christ, years were still reckoned according to a good number of calendars and, when the Middle Ages, according to the reigns of kings. For example, a writer would say that such or such event happened in the 20th year of the reign of King XX.

The first person to calculate the year of God (anno domini) was a monk named Denys le Petit (Denys the Small) in the year 532.

Answer 4

Garrett B is smart! Before the standard use of calendars, people usually used lunar cycles (you've heard "many moons ago..." haven't you?). They were very predictable. The other measurements would use the movements of stars and the sun to further refine the calculations. A day was obvious, light - dark - light = new day. A year was the same Warm Warmer Cool Cold = year when it started to get warm again.

Answer 5

Pick your calendar. We, since A.D., have been using the Gregorian Calender (fixed by Pope Gregory). If memory serves me right, the Russians were the last ones to finally change over to 'Gregorian' time.

There was the Roman Calender, Chinese, Mayan, Aztec, etc. So it depends which calendar you were using.

I hope that helps.

H

Answer 6

the unit hasnt changed, a year is still measured as 1 year.
How they recorded their point in history is another question, but for that you have to consider how aware they were of their point in history.

Answer 7

The Jewish calendar has been around for a very, very long time - so has the Egyptian. Go to this website for more info: http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0002061.html

Answer 8

damn must mean the coins marked 35 bc are fake.
people just refered to the ruler of the time.

Answer 9

the year wasnt counted as numbers, but in events, such as "I was born in the 5th year of the reign of.... "