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The '''Byzantine Creation Era''' (also ''' ''"Imperial Creation Era of Constantinople,"'' ''' or ''' ''"Era of the World"'' ''') was the Calendar officially used by the [[Byzantine Empire]]<ref>i.e. '''Eastern Roman Empire'''. 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> and the Eastern [[Orthodox Church]] from ca.AD 692 to 1728 in the [[Church of Constantinople|Ecumenical Patriarchate]], and from ca.AD 988 to 1700 in Holy [[Church of Russia|Russia]] .
Derived from the [[Septuagint]], it placed the date of creation at 5,508 years before the [[Incarnation]], and was characterized by a certain tendency which had already been a tradition amongst Hebrews and Jews to number the years ''' ''from the beginning of the world'' ''' - '''‘[[w:Etos Kosmou|Etos Kosmou / Apo Kataboles Kosmou]]’''' (Greek: ''Έτος Κόσμου''), or '''‘[[w:Anno Mundi|Annus Mundi / Ab Origine Mundi]]’''' '''AM''' (Latin). This date underwent minor revisions before being finalized in the seventh century A.D. (before AD 692), although its precursors were developed circa AD 412 (see [[Byzantine_Creation_Era#Alexandrian_Christian_EraAlexandrian_Era|''Alexandrian Christian Era'']]). By the late tenth century around AD 988<ref>i.e. From the reign of Emperor Basil II (Βασίλειος Β' ο Βουλγαροκτόνο), who ruled from 976-1025, a period that saw the highest point of the Byzantine Empire in nearly five centuries. It was during this time (ca. 988) that the [[w:Coptic calendar|''Alexandrian System'']] was no longer referred to in Byzantium.</ref> a unified system was widely recognized across the Eastern Roman world.
Complex calculations of the 19-year lunar and 28-year solar cycles within this world era allowed scholars to discover the cosmic significance of certain historical dates, such as the [[Nativity|birth of Christ]] or the Crucifixion.<ref>Prof. Dr. [http://aha.missouri.edu/people/rautman.html Marcus Louis Rautman]. ''"Time."'' In [http://books.google.ca/books?id=hs3iEyVRHKsC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Gynaikeion+church+-flower+-witches&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0 ''Daily Life in the Byzantine Empire'']. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006. pp.7</ref> The era was ultimately calculated as starting on [[September 1|September 1st]], and [[Jesus Christ|Jesus]] was thought to have been born in the year 5509 ''Annus Mundi'' (AM) - the year since the creation of the world.<ref>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.</ref>. Thus historical time was calculated from the creation, and not from Christ's birth, as in the west. The Eastern Church avoided the use of the [[w:Anno Domini|Christian Era]] since the date of Christ's birth was debated in Constantinople as late as the fourteenth century. Otherwise the ''Creation Era'' was identical to the [[Julian Calendar]] except that:
The Hellenistic Jewish writer Demetrius (flourishing 221-204 B.C.) wrote ''On the Kings of Judea'' which dealt with biblical exegesis, mainly chronology; he computed the date of the flood and the birth of Abraham exactly as in the [[Septuagint]], and first established the '' '''Annus Adami''' - Era of Adam'', the antecedent of the Hebrew ''World Era'', and of the Alexandrian and Byzantine ''Creation Eras''.
===Alexandrian Christian Era===The ''[[w:Coptic calendar|' ''"Alexandrian CalendarEra"]]'', or ''' (also variously termed the ''' ''Alexandrian Christian "Antiochian Era"'' ''' ) was the precursor to the ''Byzantine Creation Era'' and the second dominant system present alongside it, varying slightly. After the initial attempts by Hippolytus, Clement of Alexandria and others, the Alexandrian computation of the date of creation was worked out to be 25 March 5493 BC.<ref>Elias J. Bickerman. ''Chronology of the Ancient World''. 2nd edition. Cornell University Press. 1980. p.73.</ref>. It was adopted by church fathers such as [[Maximus the Confessor]] and [[Theophanes the Confessor]], as well as historians such as [[w:George Syncellus|George Syncellus]].
The Alexandrine monk Panodoros reckoned 5904 years from Adam to the year AD 412. His years began with [[August 29]], corresponding to the [[w:Thout|First of Thoth]], or the [[w:Egyptian calendar|Egyptian]] new year.<ref>Rev. Philip Schaff (1819-1893), Ed. ''[[w:Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge|Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge]]''. New Edition, 13 Vols., 1908-14. [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc04/Page_163.html Vol. 4, pp.163].</ref> Bishop [[w:Annianus of Alexandria|Annianos of Alexandria]] however, preferred the Annunciation style as New Year's Day, the 25th of March, and shifted the Panodoros era by about six months, to begin on 25 March 5492 BC. This created the ''Alexandrian Era'', whose first day was the first day of the proleptic<ref>A calendar obtained by extension earlier in time than its invention or implementation is called the "proleptic" version of the calendar</ref> Alexandrian civil year in progress, 29 August, 5493 BC. [[w:Pope Dionysius of Alexandria|Dionysius of Alexandria]] had earlier emphatically quoted mystical justifications for the choice of March 25th as the start of its the year:
:[[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]].
The ''Alexandrian Era'' of [[March 25]] 5493 BC was adopted by church fathers such as [[Maximus the Confessor]] and [[Theophanes the Confessor]], as well as chroniclers such as [[w:George Syncellus|George Syncellus]]. By the late tenth century the ''Byzantine Creation Era'', which had become fixed at [[September 1 ]] 5508 BC since at least the seventh century(differing by 15 years from the Alexandrian date), had become the widely accepted calendar of choice for Chalcedonian Orthodoxy. The <ref> In Oriental Orthodoxy by contrast, the [[w:Coptic calendar|'''Coptic (Alexandrian Era) Calendar''' continued ]], used to be used from the sixth century present day by the Coptic Orthodox Church and rooted in the older Egyptian calendar, is based on by a totally different era, called the ''[[w:Coptic calendarEra of Martyrs|CopticEra of the Martyrs]] Church'' (''Anno Martyrum'', and in a modified form by unrelated to the ''Annus Mundi''), beginning on [[August 29]], 284, its year one. The [[w:Ethiopian calendar|'''EthiopianCalendar''']], itself based on the Alexandrian or Coptic calendar, varies from it in that it uses yet another era, the ''Incarnation Era'', which dates from the Annunciation or Incarnation of Jesus on 25 March AD 9, as calculated by [[w:Annianus of Alexandria|Annianos of Alexandria]] Orthodox Church, forming their calendars up until with its first civil year beginning seven months earlier on 29 August AD 8. (The calculations made by Dionysius Exiguus in AD 525 placed the Annunciation exactly eight years earlier than had Annianos, causing the Ethiopian year number to be eight years less than the present dayGregorian year number).</ref>
==Orthodox Observation of Time==
'''St. Hippolytus'''
[[w:Hippolytus of Rome|St. Hippolytus of Rome]] (ca.170-235) maintained on Scriptural grounds that the Lord's birth took place in 5500 AM, and held that the birth of Christ took place on a passover day, deducing that its month-date was [[March 25|25 March]]<ref>George Ogg. ''Hippolytus and the Introduction of the Christian Era.'' in '''Vigiliae Christianae''', Vol.16, No.1 (Mar., 1962), p.6.</ref> (see ''[[Byzantine_Creation_Era#Alexandrian_Christian_EraAlexandrian_Era|Alexandrian Era]]''). He gave the following intervals:
:"...from Adam to the flood 2242 years, thence to Abraham 1141 years, thence to the Exodus 430 years, thence to the passover of Joshua 41 years, thence to the passover of Hezekiah 864 years, thence to the passover of Josiah 114 years, thence to the passover of Ezra 107 years, and thence to the birth of Christ 563 years."<ref>George Ogg. ''Hippolytus and the Introduction of the Christian Era.'' in '''Vigiliae Christianae''', Vol.16, No.1 (Mar., 1962), p.5.</ref>.
* 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 Creation Era''' or''' ''"Creation Era of Constantinople."'' ''' (finalized in 7th c., circa before AD 692).
* 5500 BC - [[w:Hippolytus of Rome|Hippolytus of Rome]]. (ca. AD 234), Presbyter, writer, martyr.
* '''5493 BC - Alexandrian Christian Era''' (AD 412).
* 5199 BC - [[Eusebius of Caesarea]], Bishop of Caesarea and Church historian (AD 324).
===Other Estimates===
As the Greek and Roman methods of computing time were connected with certain pagan rites and observances, Christians began at an early period to adopt the Hebrew practice of reckoning their years from the supposed period of the creation of the world.<ref>Classic Encyclopedia. [http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Chronology#Era_of_the_Creation_of_the_World Chronology - Era of the Creation of the World].</ref>
Currently the two dominant dates for creation that exist using the Biblical model, are about 5500 BC and about 4000 BC. These are calculated from the genealogies in two versions of the Bible, with most of the difference arising from two versions of [[Genesis]]. The older dates of the [[Church Fathers]] in the ''Byzantine Creation Era'' and in its precursor, the ''Alexandrian Christian Era'', are based on the Greek [[Septuagint]]. The later dates of Archbishop [[w:James Ussher|James Ussher]] and the Hebrew Calendar are based on the Hebrew Masoretic text.
The Fathers were well aware of the discrepancy of some hundreds of years between the Greek and Hebrew [[Old Testament]] chronology,<ref>Note that according to Dr. Wacholder, [[Josephus|Josephus']] chronology for the antediluvian period (pre-flood) conforms with the [[Septuagint|LXX]], but for the Noachites (post-flood) he used the Hebrew text. He chose this method to resolve the problem of the two chronological systems.</ref> and it did not bother them; they did not quibble over years or worry that the standard calendar was precise "to the very year"; it is sufficient that what is involved is beyond any doubt a matter of some few thousands of years, involving the lifetimes of specific men, and it can in no way be interpreted as millions of years or whole ages and races of men.<ref>Fr. [[Seraphim Rose]]. ''GENESIS, CREATION and EARLY MAN: The Orthodox Christian Vision''. St. Herman of Alaska Brotherhood, Platina, CA, 2000. pp.602-603.</ref>
* [http://www.1911encyclopedia.org/Chronology#Era_of_Constantinople Era of Constantinople] at Classic Encyclopedia (''Based on the 11th edition of the Encyclopedia Brittanica, 1911'').
* [[w:Etos Kosmou|Etos Kosmou]] at Wikipedia.
* [[w:Coptic calendar|Coptic Calendar]] at Wikipedia. (The Note that the "''Alexandrian Era''" (March 25, 5493 BC), is distinct from the Coptic "Alexandrian Calendar", based on which is derived from the ancient [[w:Egyptian calendar|Egyptian Calendar]]and based on the ''Era of the Martyrs'' (August 29, 284)).* [[w:Ethiopian calendar|Ethiopian Calendar]] at Wikipedia. (Based on Derived from the Coptic "AlexandrianCalendar", and based on the ''Incarnation Era'' (August 29, AD 8)).
* [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.
* [http://www.smso.net/Calendar_era#Christian_era Calendar Era: Late Antiquity and Middle Ages: Christian era] at SMSO Encyclopedia (''Saudi Medical Site Online'').
* 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.
* Prof. Dr. [http://aha.missouri.edu/people/rautman.html Marcus Louis Rautman]. ''"Time."'' In [http://books.google.ca/books?id=hs3iEyVRHKsC&printsec=frontcover&dq=Gynaikeion+church+-flower+-witches&source=gbs_summary_r&cad=0 ''Daily Life in the Byzantine Empire'']. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006. pp.3-8.
* Rev. Philip Schaff (1819-1893), Ed. ''[[w:Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge|Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge]]''. New Edition, 13 Vols., 1908-14. [http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/encyc04/Page_163.html Vol. 4, pp.163].
* St. [[Basil the Great]]. ''[http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf208.viii.i.html Hexæmeron]''. Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers of the Christian Church, 2nd Series (NPNF2). Transl. Philip Schaff, D.D., LL.D. (1819-1893): '''Volume VIII - Basil: Letters and Select Works'''. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan.
