What Was The Common Era

So, What's This 'Common Era' Thing All About?

Ever wondered why you see 'AD' and 'BC' less often and 'CE' and 'BCE' more? It's not just a trend, there's a story behind it. Let's dive in, yeah?

Let's Start at the Beginning

Imagine you're in ancient Rome. You're living in a world where everyone knows the date, but not like we do today. They count years from the founding of Rome, or the reign of some emperor. It's all over the place, right?

Then, along comes a guy named Dionysius Exiguus. He's a monk, living in the 6th century. He's got a bright idea. He suggests using the birth of Jesus as a reference point. Brilliant, huh?

Enter Anno Domini

Dionysius calculates that Jesus was born 754 years after Rome was founded. So, he starts counting years from there. He calls it 'Anno Domini', which is Latin for 'In the Year of the Lord'. We shorten it to 'AD'.

But here's the thing, Dionysius wasn't perfect. Recent research suggests he might have been off by a few years. Oops!

And Then There Was BC

Now, you might be thinking, 'What about 'BC'?'. That stands for 'Before Christ'. It's just the other side of the coin. If 'AD' is after Jesus' birth, 'BC' is before it.

But here's where it gets a bit tricky. If 'AD' 1 is the year Jesus was born, then 'BC' 1 is the year before that. So, 'BC' years are counted backwards from 'AD'. Confusing, right?

Enter the Common Era

Fast forward to the 1800s. People start to realize that 'AD' and 'BC' have some issues. They're religious terms, and not everyone's religious. Plus, they're a bit confusing, like we just saw.

BC or BCE? CE or AD? Common Era or Dionysian?

So, some clever folks come up with a new system. They call it the 'Common Era'. It's the same dates as 'AD' and 'BC', but without the religious connotations. 'CE' stands for 'Common Era', and 'BCE' stands for 'Before Common Era'.

Why the Switch?

It's all about inclusivity, really. Not everyone celebrates Christmas or follows the Christian calendar. Using 'CE' and 'BCE' is a way to be more inclusive and respectful of different beliefs.

Think of it like this: when you're at a big party, you don't want to use language that might make some guests feel left out, right? It's the same idea.

So, What's Your Era?

Now you know the story behind 'CE' and 'BCE'. Pretty cool, huh? So, the next time you see a date, you'll know it's just a way of counting years, nothing more, nothing less.

And who knows? Maybe one day, we'll all be using some other system. The future's full of possibilities, isn't it?