Dionysius Exiguus

Dionysius Exiguus or Denys the Little or Low (* 470, † 540 ) was born Scythian and lived for about 500 a monk and friend of Cassiodorus in Rome. There he translated Greek patristic writings into Latin. He became known through the collection of papal decretals Konzilienbeschlüsse and, as an outstanding computist and as the founder of the Christian era.

The Christian era, according to Dionysius Exiguus

Dionysius traditionally regarded as the founder of the Christian era, he proposed the first time in 525. In recent times, however, it was hypothesized that he had taken his concept of a lost work of Eusebius of Caesarea.

If Dionysius should have developed the Christian era, he was going quite pragmatically by studying the then known knowledge.

To calculate the date of Easter, use is among many other things the 19-year Metonic cycle. The precise date of Easter each year within such a cycle has been shown on so-called Easter tables. Despite the name, they set the whole Christian lunar calendar. The first Easter tables created Theophilos and his successor, Cyril, Patriarch of Alexandria, since the end of the 4th century. Theophilus was the first cycle of its panels with the year 96 ( 379/380 AD [ 96 = 19 × 5 1] ) begin the then usual Diocletian era. The final cycle of these panels ends with the year 228 ( = 511/512 AD).

Due to the controversial date of Easter of the year 526 Dionysius turned to the topic. He was still, as he mentioned it in his writings, a panel for the 13th cycle of the Diocletian era ( 229-247 = 513-531 AD) before. Meanwhile, however, (19 × 28 532 = ) was from Anianos, an Egyptian monk of the fifth century, already the so-called Alexandrian cycle at 532 years been developed, which with the 28 -year-old so-called solar cycle of weekdays in the 19-year Metonic lunar cycle solar calendar connects.

Dionysius now recognized in the year 241 by Diocletian ( AD 525 ) the following: With the year 247 by Diocletian ( 531 AD) 13 Metonic cycles have passed within this era. Based on other sources, he knew that between the beginning of the era of Diocletian at the Coptic New Year Tout 1 of the year 1 after Diocletian (August 29, 284 ) and the end of the reign of Herod the king, in about fifteen more Metonic cycles, ie 285 years had to be passed. This would give a complete Alexandrian cycle at 532 years.

He decided therefore to be on his tables from the year 248 by Diocletian ( Roman-style with January 1 as the beginning, so about 4 months later), the year value anni from incarnatione Domini, Latin for " years after the incarnation of the Lord". Write The latter is compared to the former by exactly 284 (15 × 19-1 ) increased years, which in turn means that the previous one, just running, Alexandrian 532 -year cycle with the historical year 1 BC must have begun. About an exact year for the birth of Jesus of Nazareth (year 1 BC or AD) to Dionysius Exiguus, contrary to many otherwise claims, but not explicitly expressed. Later they calculated that the year 1 AD, the Roman year DCC.LIV ( 754 ) matches ab urbe condita, since the legendary founding of Rome.

This bill in Christian years at the time was far from exclusively reserved computists. Venerable Bede, an English Benedictine, completed the original only to 95 years ( 532-626 ) designed dionysianischen boards to a complete second Alexandrian cycle ( 532-1063 ). Thus, the chronology obtained by Dionysius Exiguus gradually within the church recognition. The chronology was first used by Bede in his historical writings.

The princes of the early Middle Ages attracted long before their own dominion years of dating, as well as bishops and popes. Into general consciousness of the people of the Christian era was probably moved at the latest with the coronation of Charles at Christmas 800. In official documents the rule it was in Western Europe towards the end of the first millennium, in Orthodox Russia, for example, not before Peter the Great.

International has the bill in Christian years according to Dionysius Exiguus present world official validity.

In Europe in the early Middle Ages, no one knew the number or the number zero. Nevertheless, the presence of the Latin word nulla, no ' in the third column of his Easter table gives the impression that Dionysius Exiguus was known that important number. But it can not be inferred that his nulla a true " zero " was. He did not used them in his calculations. Therefore, should be considered when the times " before Christ " always that after the astronomical years counting that contains and which are provided with the Minus Sign, if the years are meant before the year 0, the year of the annual statement year zero v. Chr is deducted. So drank about Socrates in 399 BC, the hemlock, which is the astronomical year -398.

In Europe of the Middle Ages until the 13th century (in some cases ) was the number zero arithmetic used, the general acceptance came only since the Renaissance.

Works

Collectio Dionysiana

Council canons

• Versio prima ( 496-498 ): Council texts, translations of Greek synodal of Sardica, and a Carthaginian Chalcedon of 419
• Versio secunda conciliar decisions of Niceae (325 ) to Constantine Opel (381), then Chalcedon (451 ), Serdica (342 ), Carthage (419).
• Versions tertia ( 514-523 ): Differences between Eastern and Western Church, in Latin and in Greek version; Apostolic Canons, Sardica, and African councils.

Dekretalensammlung

• Collectio Decretalium Dionysiana, ( 498-514 ): 38 Decretals (38 ) of the Popes Siricius ( 384-399 ) to Anastasius II ( 496-498 ). Subsequently further decretals were still attached.
• Dionysiana ( Corpus codicis canonum, Corpus Canonum ): conciliar collection and Dekretalensammlung. Pope Hadrian expanded this with the new papal decretals and handed them 774 to Charlemagne. The result was a Dionysio - Hadriana and became the Code of the Frankish Church, from 802 ( General Synod of Aachen ). It was also around 800 with the foundation of Dacheriana, a systematic collection of canon law.