What Comes Before AD or BC? A Comprehensive Guide
Introduction
The abbreviations AD and BC, short for Anno Domini (Latin for “in the year of the Lord”) and Before Christ, respectively, are widely used to designate time periods in relation to the birth of Jesus Christ, which is considered the start of the Common Era (CE). However, what about the time periods that came before the birth of Christ?
Pre-Christian Time Periods
- Prehistory: The earliest period of human history, before the invention of written language, typically dated to around 2.5 million years ago.
- Protohistory: A transitional period between prehistory and history, characterized by the emergence of writing but limited written records, typically dated to around 5,000-3,000 years ago.
- Archaic Age: The period of early civilization, marked by the development of writing, complex societies, and monumental architecture, typically dated to around 3,000-1,200 years ago.
The BCE or CE System
In the 6th century CE, Dionysius Exiguus, a Roman monk, developed the Anno Domini system as a way to calculate the date of Easter. This system placed the birth of Christ as the year 1 AD. However, this system did not originally incorporate any designation for time periods before Christ.
In the 18th century, the term “Before Christ” (BC) was introduced as a way to refer to time periods prior to the birth of Christ. However, the use of BC was limited, and many historians continued to use traditional methods of dating, such as numbering years from the founding of Rome.
In the 20th century, the BCE/CE system, which uses “Before Common Era” (BCE) instead of “Before Christ,” gained widespread acceptance. This system is more inclusive, as it does not assume a Christian perspective and can be used by people of all religious and cultural backgrounds.
Conclusion
In summary, the time periods that come before AD and BC are generally referred to as “prehistory,” “protohistory,” and “archaic age.” The BCE/CE system is a widely accepted way to designate time periods both before and after the birth of Christ, and it is used by historians and scholars around the world.
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