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===St. John Chrysostom===
St. [[John Chrysostom]] says clearly in his Homily "''On the Cross and the Thief''", that [[Jesus Christ|Christ]]:
:"opened for us today Paradise, which had remained closed for some 5000 years."<ref>St. John Chrysostom. Homily "''On the Cross and the Thief''" 1:2.</ref>.
===St. Isaac the Syrian===
St. [[Isaac of Syria|Isaac the Syrian]] writes in a Homily that before [[Jesus Christ|Christ]]:
:"for five thousand years five hundred and some years [[God]] left [[Adam and Eve|Adam]] (i.e., man) to labor on the earth."<ref>St. Isaac the Syrian. Homily 19, Russian edition, pp. 85 [Homily 29, English edition, p.143].</ref>.
==Criticism==
* According to Fr. Stanley Harakas, the Bible's description of creation is not a "scientific account". It is not read for scientific knowledge but for spiritual truth and divine revelation. The physical-scientific side of the origins of mankind, though important, is really quite secondary in significance to the Church's message. The central image of [[Adam and Eve|Adam]] as [[God|God's]] image and likeness, who also represents fallen and sinful humanity, and the new Adam, [[Jesus Christ]], who is the "beginning", the first-born of the dead (Colossians 1:18) and the "first-fruits" of those who were dead, and are now alive (1 Corinthians 15:20-23), is what is really important.<ref>Fr. Stanley S. Harakas. ''The Orthodox Church: 455 Questions and Answers''. Light & Life Publishing, Minneapolis, 1988. pp.88,91.</ref>
* According to Professor [http://www.buzzle.com/authors.asp?author=973 Dr. Muhammad Shamsaddin Megalommatis], the various new dating systems introduced throughout the Christian Roman Empire involved different eras (dates), causing great difficulty in homogenizing Christianity that was progressively torn up by conflicting theoretical systems, until one of them, the ''Creation Era of Constantinople'' (or ''Byzantine Calendar''), prevailed through the use of the military machine of the empire, and applied unprecedented terror against the rest, which were characterized as heretical.<ref>Prof. Dr. Muhammad Shamsaddin Megalommatis. [http://www.buzzle.com/articles/gueze-ethiopian-the-counterfeit-millennium.html Gueze – ‘Ethiopian’: the Counterfeit Millennium]. Sept. 8, 2007.</ref>
* [[w:Dating Creation|Dating Creation]] at Wikipedia.
* [[w:Indiction|Indiction]] at Wikipedia.
* Niketas Choniates. ''O City of Byzantium, Annals of Niketas Choniates.'' Transl. by Harry J. Magoulias. Wayne State University Press, Detroit, 1984.
* Paul Stephenson. ''"Translations from Byzantine Sources: The Imperial Centuries, c.700-1204: [http://homepage.mac.com/paulstephenson/trans/scyl2.html John Skylitzes, "Synopsis Historion"'': ''The Year 6508, in the 13th Indiction: the Byzantine dating system]"''. November 2006.
minor re-org; add references to further reading; almost complete.
The '''Byzantine Calendar''' or''' ''"Imperial Creation Era of Constantinople,"'' ''' was the calendar officially used by the [[Byzantine Empire]]<ref>The term Byzantine was invented by the German historian Hieronymus Wolf in 1557 but was popularized by French scholars during the 18th century to refer to the Eastern Roman Empire. The citizens of the empire considered themselves ''Romaioi'' ("Romans"), their emperor was the "Roman Emperor", and their empire the ''Basileia ton Romaion'' ("Empire of the Romans"). The Latin West designated the empire as "Romania", and the Muslims as "Rum".</ref> (Eastern Roman Empire) from at least 692 AD, until it was conquered in 1453.
It placed the date of creation at 5,508 BC, and was characterized by a certain tendency which prevailed in several parts of the empire to number the years '''‘[[w:Etos Kosmou|Apo Kataboles Kosmou]]’'''- (Greek), or '''‘[[w:Anno Mundi|Ab Origine Mundi]]’'''- AM (Latin), that is, ''' ''from the beginning of the world, '' ''' which had already been a tradition amongst Hebrews and Jews. The era was calculated as starting on [[September 1|September 1st]], and [[Jesus Christ|Jesus]] was thought to have been born in the year 5509 of the Eastern Roman system.
After the collapse of the Byzantine Empire in 1453, the Byzantine calendar continued to be used by Russia (translated into Slavonic) until 1700, when it was changed to the [[Julian Calendar ]] by Peter the Great.<ref>Prof. Charles Ellis (University of Bristol). [http://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=5547 Russian Calendar (988-1917)]. ''The Literary Encyclopedia''. 25 September, 2008.</ref>. It is still used by a number of Orthodox Churches. The year AD 2000 was 7508 AM.
==Important Early Calendars==
: * the [[w:Egyptian calendar|Egyptian]], in use since at least 2550 BC, which institutionalized a year that was 365 days long, being divided into 12 months of 30 days each; and
: * the [[w:Attic calendar|Greek]].
Pliny the Elder, the Great Roman erudite scholar, attempted<ref>Historia Naturalis, XVIII, 210.</ref> to promote the Roman calendar as modified by Julius Caesar (i.e. the [[Julian Calendar]]) at the same level, as a ‘fourth calendar’.<ref>Prof. Dr. Muhammad Shamsaddin Megalommatis. [http://www.buzzle.com/articles/gueze-ethiopian-the-counterfeit-millennium.html Gueze – ‘Ethiopian’: the Counterfeit Millennium]. Sept. 8, 2007.</ref>.
==Earliest Christian Sources on the Age of the World==
==Accounts in Byzantine Authors==
===St. John Chrysostom===
St. [[John Chrysostom]] says clearly in his Homily "''On the Cross and the Thief''", that [[Jesus Christ|Christ]]:
:"opened for us today Paradise, which had remained closed for some 5000 years."<ref>St. John Chrysostom. Homily "''On the Cross and the Thief''" 1:2.</ref>.
===St. Isaac the Syrian===
St. [[Isaac of Syria|Isaac the Syrian]] writes in a Homily that before [[Jesus Christ|Christ]]:
:"for five thousand years five hundred and some years [[God]] left [[Adam and Eve|Adam]] (i.e. man) to labor on the earth."<ref>St. Isaac the Syrian. Homily 19, Russian edition, pp. 85 [Homily 29, English edition, p.143].</ref>.
===Doukas===
The historian [[w:Doukas|Doukas]], writing circa 1460 AD, makes a detailed account for the year 5508 BC as the date of creation. Although unrefined in style, the history of [[w:Doukas|Doukas]] is both judicious and trustworthy, and it is the most valuable source for the closing years of the Byzantine empire.
:By the sequence of Numbers we calculate the number of 5,500 years from the time of the first Adam to Christ."<ref>Doukas (ca.1460). ''Decline and Fall of Byzantium To The Ottoman Turks''. An Annotated Translation by Harry J. Magoulias. Wayne State University Press, 1975. pp.57-58.</ref>.
===John Skylitzes===
:"The queen of cities fell to the Latins on the twelfth day of the month of April of the '''seventh [[indiction]] in the year 6712''' [1204]."<ref>Niketas Choniates. ''O City of Byzantium, Annals of Niketas Choniates.'' Transl. by Harry J. Magoulias. Wayne State University Press, Detroit, 1984. p.338</ref>
==Other Dominant Church Calendars==
===Comparative List of Dates of Creation===
The ''Byzantine Calendar'' along with the ''Alexandrian Calendar'' were the two dominant systems (among others) in the Eastern Orthodox world. Being finalized in the seventh century, by the late tenth century the ''Byzantine Calendar'' had become the widely accepted calendar of choice for Chalcedonian Orthodoxy. The ''Alexandrian Calendar'' continued to be used by the [[w:Coptic calendar|Coptic]] and [[w:Ethiopian calendar|Ethiopian]] Orthodox Churches from the sixth century and up until the present day.
====Early Church Writers====
* 5537 BC - [[w:Sextus Julius Africanus|Julius Africanus]] (AD 200-245), Church historian.
* 5529 BC - [[w:Theophilus of Antioch|Theophilus]] (AD 115-181), Bishop of Antioch.
* '''5508 BC''' - '''Byzantine Calendar''' or''' ''"Imperial Creation Era of Constantinople."'' ''' (finalized in 7th c.).
* 5500 BC - [[w:Hippolytus of Rome|Hippolytus of Rome]]. (ca. AD 234), Presbyter, writer, martyr.
* '''5493 BC - Alexandrian Christian Era''' (AD 412).
:[[March 25]] was considered to be the anniversary of Creation itself. It was the first day of the year in the medieval [[Julian calendar]] and the nominal vernal equinox (it had been the actual equinox at the time when the Julian calendar was originally designed). Considering that Christ was conceived at that date turned March 25 into the Feast of the [[Annunciation]] which had to be followed, nine months later, by the celebration of the [[Nativity|birth of Christ]], Christmas, on [[December 25]].
===Roman Martyrology===
Some [[w:Traditionalist Catholic|Traditionalist Catholics]] use the year 5199 BC, which is taken from Catholic martyrologies, and referred to as the true date of Creation in the "''Mystical City of God''," a 17th-century mystical work written by Maria de Agreda concerning creation and the life of the Virgin Mary. This year was also used earlier by the church historian [[Eusebius of Caesarea]] in 324.<ref>V. Grumel, . ''La chronologie (Chronologie''. 1958) . pp.24-25.</ref>
===Anglican and Protestant===
In the English-speaking world, one of the most well known estimates in modern times is that of Archbishop [[w:James Ussher|James Ussher]] (1581–1656), who proposed a date of Sunday, [[October 23]], 4004 BC, in the Julian calendar. He placed the beginning of this first day of creation, and hence the exact time of creation, at the previous nightfall. (See the [[w:Ussher chronology|Ussher chronology]]).
==Criticism==
* According to Fr. Stanley Harakas, the Bible's description of creation is not a "scientific account". It is not read for scientific knowledge but for spiritual truth and divine revelation. The physical-scientific side of the origins of mankind, though important, is really quite secondary in significance to the Church's message. The central image of [[Adam and Eve|Adam]] as [[God|God's]] image and likeness, who also represents fallen and sinful humanity, and the new Adam, [[Jesus Christ]], who is the "beginning", the first-born of the dead (Colossians 1:18) and the "first-fruits" of those who were dead, and are now alive (1 Corinthians 15:20-23), is what is really important.<ref>Fr. Stanley S. Harakas. ''The Orthodox Church: 455 Questions and Answers''. Light & Life Publishing, Minneapolis, 1988. pp.88,91.</ref>
* According to Professor [http://www.buzzle.com/authors.asp?author=973 Dr. Muhammad Shamsaddin Megalommatis], the various new dating systems introduced throughout the Christian Roman Empire involved different eras (dates), causing great difficulty in homogenizing Christianity that was progressively torn up by conflicting theoretical systems, until one of them, the ''Creation Era of Constantinople'' (or ''Byzantine Calendar''), prevailed through the use of the military machine of the empire, and applied unprecedented terror against the rest, which were characterized as heretical.<ref>Prof. Dr. Muhammad Shamsaddin Megalommatis. [http://www.buzzle.com/articles/gueze-ethiopian-the-counterfeit-millennium.html ''Gueze – ‘Ethiopian’: the Counterfeit Millennium'']. Sept. 8, 2007.</ref>
==Summary==
==External Links==
* [[w:Byzantine Calendar|Byzantine Calendar]] at Wikipedia.
* [[w:Coptic calendar|Coptic Calendar]] at Wikipedia. (The "Alexandrian Calendar", based on the ancient [[w:Egyptian calendar|Egyptian Calendar]]).
* [[w:Ethiopian calendar|Ethiopian Calendar]] at Wikipedia. (Based on the "Alexandrian").
* [http://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=5547 Russian Calendar (988-1917)]. Charles Ellis, University of Bristol. The Literary Encyclopedia. 25 September, 2008.
* Paul Stephenson. ''"Translations from Byzantine Sources[[w: The Imperial Centuries, cDating Creation|Dating Creation]] at Wikipedia.700-1204: * [[httpw://homepage.mac.com/paulstephenson/trans/scyl2.html John Skylitzes, "Synopsis Historion"'': ''The Year 6508, in the 13th Indiction: the Byzantine dating system|Indiction]]"''. November 2006at Wikipedia.
* Dr. Stephen C. Meyers. [http://www.bibleandscience.com/archaeology/exodusdate.htm Biblical Archaeology: The Date of the Exodus According to Ancient Writers]. Institute for Biblical & Scientific Studies (IBSS). Updated April 30, 2008.
* [http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Aegean/2444/chronology.html Chronology of the Biblical Patriarchs].
* Paul Stephenson. ''"Translations from Byzantine Sources: The Imperial Centuries, c.700-1204: [http://homepage.mac.com/paulstephenson/trans/scyl2.html John Skylitzes, "Synopsis Historion"'': ''The Year 6508, in the 13th Indiction: the Byzantine dating system]"''. November 2006.
==Further reading==
* Fr. [[Seraphim Rose]]. ''GENESIS, CREATION and EARLY MAN: The Orthodox Christian Vision''. St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, Platina, CA, 2000. (712 pages, illustrated, paperback. ISBN 1887904026 ). * Dr. Floyd Nolan Jones. ''[http://books.google.ca/books?id=ZkBasQYRy4sC&printsec=frontcover Chronology of the Old Testament]''. 16th ed. Master Books, AZ, 1993. Repr. 2005. ISBN 9780890514160 ''(supports Ussher's chronology, i.e. 4004 BC).''* E.G. Richards. ''Mapping Time: The Calendar and its History''. Oxford University Press, 1998. (''Good overall general review of the history and astronomical basis of the principal calendars that have been used throughout history all around the world''). * Elias J. Bickerman. ''Chronology of the Ancient World''. 2nd edition. Cornell University Press. 1980. * Jack Finegan. ''Handbook of Biblical Chronology: Principles of Time Reckoning in the Ancient World and Problems of Chronology in the Bible''. Hendrickson Publishers, 1998. * K.A. Worp. ''[https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/bitstream/1887/9250/1/5_039_134.pdf Chronological Observations on Later Byzantine Documents]''. 1985. University of Amsterdam. (PDF format)* Roger S. Bagnall, K. A. Worp. ''The Chronological Systems of Byzantine Egypt''. Zutphen, 1978. * V. Grumel.''La Chronologie''. Presses Universitaires France, Paris. 1958.* Yiannis E. Meimaris. ''Chronological Systems in Roman-Byzantine Palestine and Arabia''. Athens, 1992.
==References==
==Sources==
* [[w:Byzantine Calendar|Byzantine Calendar]] at Wikipedia.
* [[w:Dating Creation|Dating Creation]] at Wikipedia.
* [[w:Doukas|Doukas]] (ca.1460). ''Decline and Fall of Byzantium To The Ottoman Turks''. An Annotated Translation by Harry J. Magoulias. Wayne State University Press, 1975. (ISBN 9780814315408)
* Fr. [[Seraphim Rose]]. ''GENESIS, CREATION and EARLY MAN: The Orthodox Christian Vision''. St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, Platina, CA, 2000.
* Fr. Stanley S. Harakas. ''The Orthodox Church: 455 Questions and Answers''. Light & Life Publishing, Minneapolis, 1988.
* Niketas Choniates. ''O City of Byzantium, Annals of Niketas Choniates.'' Transl. by Harry J. Magoulias. Wayne State University Press, Detroit, 1984.
* Prof. Charles Ellis (University of Bristol). ''[http://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=5547 Russian Calendar (988-1917)]''. The Literary Encyclopedia. 25 September, 2008.
* Prof. Dr. Muhammad Shamsaddin Megalommatis. [http://www.buzzle.com/articles/gueze-ethiopian-the-counterfeit-millennium.html Gueze – ‘Ethiopian’: the Counterfeit Millennium]. Sept. 8, 2007.
* ''The Rudder (Pedalion)'': Of the metaphorical ship of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church of the Orthodox Christians, or all the sacred and divine canons of the holy and renowned Apostles, of the holy Councils, ecumenical as well as regional, and of individual fathers, as embodied in the original Greek text, for the sake of authenticity, and explained in the vernacular by way of rendering them more intelligible to the less educated. Comp. Agapius a Hieromonk and Nicodemus a Monk. First printed and published A.D.1800. Trans. D. Cummings, from the 5th edition published by John Nicolaides (Kesisoglou the Caesarian) in Athens, Greece in 1908, (Chicago: The Orthodox Christian Educational Society, 1957; Repr., New York, N.Y.: Luna Printing Co., 1983).
* ProfPaul Stephenson. Dr. Muhammad Shamsaddin Megalommatis''"Translations from Byzantine Sources: The Imperial Centuries, c. 700-1204: [http://wwwhomepage.buzzlemac.com/articlespaulstephenson/trans/gueze-ethiopian-the-counterfeit-millenniumscyl2.html Gueze – ‘Ethiopian’John Skylitzes, "Synopsis Historion"'': ''The Year 6508, in the Counterfeit Millennium]. Sept. 8, 2007.* [[w13th Indiction:the Byzantine Calendar|Byzantine Calendar]dating system] at Wikipedia"''.* [[w:Dating Creation|Dating Creation]] at WikipediaNovember 2006.
[[Category:Church History]]