Ab urbe condita

A and c. is the abbreviation for urbe condita from or for Anno Urbis Conditæ. The unit of time was used by the earliest chroniclers of the Middle Ages to dating. It stands for the years " since the city's founding " of ancient Rome. Its value is always greater than 753 years to count the years in the Gregorian (western) calendar. More rarely, the term post urbem conditam ( puc abbreviated ) will be used.

Varronic and catonische count

After Varronian era founded by Marcus Terentius Varro, Rome was founded 440 years after the fall of Troy by Romulus and Remus. Starting from the year 1193 determined Varro the spring of 753 BC Rare founded by Cato ( " catonische " or " Capitoline ") was applied counting, who laid the city's foundation in the first year of the seventh Olympiad ( 752 BC AD).

The Romans of the classical period, even the years but not auc with the city's founding counted, but with the changing annual consul offices. It was used regularly until about the year 400 for the first time, namely the Iberian historian Orosius. In antique-like manner also Theodor Mommsen has partially (eg in Constitutional Law ) the census used since the founding of the city.

Christian Era

The varronic era was replaced by the Christian counting proposed by the monk Dionysius Exiguus in the year 525, but not before the eighth century. Initially limited and observed only to a small circle in Rome, his era gave more validity and repressed in the 10th and 11th centuries in the Christian world, the other time bills.

Dionysius counted the years not as yet widespread custom, in the era of Diocletian, but from incarnatione Domini, since the Incarnation (birth ) of Christ. But when converting the years " after Christ " to offset against the monk - according to current knowledge, he placed the birth of Jesus of Nazareth to four or seven years too late, because Jesus was born during the lifetime of Herod the Great, who after today's date in the year 4 BC died. Probably forgot Dionysius Exiguus, that the name of the Emperor Augustus in the years 30-27 BC was different, namely Imperator Caesar Divi filius.

Conversion and a CV Joint / n BC

Conversion formulas

Before the founding of Rome ( ante urbem conditam ) applies:

  • The year ante and c. is the year BC
  • The year BC is the year ante and c.

After the founding of Rome before Christ applies:

  • The year a and c. is the year BC
  • The year BC is the year a and c.

After Christ applies:

  • The year a and c. is the year AD
  • The year AD is the year a and c.

As a memory aid for the year is a Wish rhyme: seven, five, three - Rome hatches from the egg.

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