Aetos Kosmou
Encyclopedia
Etos Kosmou was an early Byzantine
and Roman Christian
chronology system of measuring time introduced by Panodorus of Alexandria
, Hippolytus of Rome, Sulpicius Severus
, Annianus of Alexandria
, George Syncellus
, and others. It means, "Year of the Universe."
, in his work World Chronicle introduced a world era calculation, which reckoned 5,904 years from Adam (in Greek
από κτίσεως κόσμου, apo ktiseos kosmou, "since the world's creation") to the year 412 CE
, about which time he lived. This era is usually termed the "Antiochian era", or sometimes the "Alexandrian era". Its new year
was also transferred to September 1, in which case the eight later months of its year 5493 are the eight former months of the year one of our chronology.
More important than this is the Byzantine world era
, which long served as the standard of computation in the Eastern Empire, in Russia
, among the Albanians
, Serbs
, Romanians
and Modern Greeks
. It counts sixteen years in excess of the Antiochian era, though likewise beginning the year with September 1; its year 5509 began with September 1 of the year one before Christ. Although clearly based on Septuagint's genealogies, exactly whence this specific numbering originated appears not to be known. By the tenth century CE, this dating system (its beginning fixed at 5509 BCE) became standard in the Byzantine Empire
and thereby, the Orthodox countries of Eastern Europe. But as similar Anno Mundi systems became very popular, they created a huge problem: end-of-world fever, caused by a threatening Seventh Day that equated to the end of the 6000-year period and corresponded to a date 500 years after Christ's birth year. So many Chiliasm, or Millenarianism
, emphasizing religious movements arose at that period. In 1492 Sir Thomas Browne supported also the belief that the world was created in 5509 BCE and that its ordained lifetime was 7,000 years.
Peter the First
, in 1700, that the system "from the nativity of Christ" was introduced. Upon returning from his embassy to western Europe, Tsar Peter changed the Russia
n New Year's Day
from September 1 (the date used in the Roman (Byzantine) empire) to January 1, the conventional date in the West. He also altered the method of counting years, adopting the Anno Domini
system. Thus, January 1, 7208 (dated according to the "year of the world", or Anno Mundi
, that is 5509 BCE) became January 1, 1700. The Tsar did not, however, adopt the Gregorian calendar
. He simply conformed Russia’s Julian calendar
to the form of the Julian calendar then still used in England and many other Protestant territories.
will use the Byzantine calculation of the Etos Kosmou in conjunction with the Anno Domini year. Both dates appear on Orthodox cornerstone
s, ecclesiastical calendars and formal documents. The ecclesiastical new year is still observed on September 1 (for those churches which follow the Julian Calendar, their September 1 falls on the Gregorian Calendar's September 14).
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
and Roman Christian
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
chronology system of measuring time introduced by Panodorus of Alexandria
Panodorus of Alexandria
Panodorus of Alexandria was an Egyptian Byzantine monk, historian and writer who lived around 400 C.E.He introduced a world era calculation, who reckoned 5,904 years from Adam to the year 412 C.E., about which time he lived...
, Hippolytus of Rome, Sulpicius Severus
Sulpicius Severus
Sulpicius Severus was a Christian writer and native of Aquitania. He is known for his chronicle of sacred history, as well as his biography of Saint Martin of Tours.-Life:...
, Annianus of Alexandria
Annianus of Alexandria
Annianus of Alexandria or Annianos was a monk who flourished in Alexandria during the bishopric of Theophilus of Alexandria around the beginning of the fifth century...
, George Syncellus
George Syncellus
George Syncellus was a Byzantine chronicler and ecclesiastic. He had lived many years in Palestine as a monk, before coming to Constantinople, where he was appointed syncellus to Tarasius, patriarch of Constantinople...
, and others. It means, "Year of the Universe."
Establishment and usage
Panodorus of AlexandriaPanodorus of Alexandria
Panodorus of Alexandria was an Egyptian Byzantine monk, historian and writer who lived around 400 C.E.He introduced a world era calculation, who reckoned 5,904 years from Adam to the year 412 C.E., about which time he lived...
, in his work World Chronicle introduced a world era calculation, which reckoned 5,904 years from Adam (in Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
από κτίσεως κόσμου, apo ktiseos kosmou, "since the world's creation") to the year 412 CE
Common Era
Common Era ,abbreviated as CE, is an alternative designation for the calendar era originally introduced by Dionysius Exiguus in the 6th century, traditionally identified with Anno Domini .Dates before the year 1 CE are indicated by the usage of BCE, short for Before the Common Era Common Era...
, about which time he lived. This era is usually termed the "Antiochian era", or sometimes the "Alexandrian era". Its new year
New Year
The New Year is the day that marks the time of the beginning of a new calendar year, and is the day on which the year count of the specific calendar used is incremented. For many cultures, the event is celebrated in some manner....
was also transferred to September 1, in which case the eight later months of its year 5493 are the eight former months of the year one of our chronology.
More important than this is the Byzantine world era
Byzantine calendar
The Byzantine calendar, also "Creation Era of Constantinople," or "Era of the World" was the calendar used by the Eastern Orthodox Church from c. 691 to 1728 in the Ecumenical Patriarchate. It was also the official calendar of the Byzantine Empire from 988 to 1453, and in Russia from c...
, which long served as the standard of computation in the Eastern Empire, in Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, among the Albanians
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
, Serbs
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
, Romanians
Romanians
The Romanians are an ethnic group native to Romania, who speak Romanian; they are the majority inhabitants of Romania....
and Modern Greeks
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
. It counts sixteen years in excess of the Antiochian era, though likewise beginning the year with September 1; its year 5509 began with September 1 of the year one before Christ. Although clearly based on Septuagint's genealogies, exactly whence this specific numbering originated appears not to be known. By the tenth century CE, this dating system (its beginning fixed at 5509 BCE) became standard in the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
and thereby, the Orthodox countries of Eastern Europe. But as similar Anno Mundi systems became very popular, they created a huge problem: end-of-world fever, caused by a threatening Seventh Day that equated to the end of the 6000-year period and corresponded to a date 500 years after Christ's birth year. So many Chiliasm, or Millenarianism
Millenarianism
Millenarianism is the belief by a religious, social, or political group or movement in a coming major transformation of society, after which all things will be changed, based on a one-thousand-year cycle. The term is more generically used to refer to any belief centered around 1000 year intervals...
, emphasizing religious movements arose at that period. In 1492 Sir Thomas Browne supported also the belief that the world was created in 5509 BCE and that its ordained lifetime was 7,000 years.
Usage in Russia
In medieval Russia, the chronological system was based on the creation of the world, that is according to the chronology established by Panadorus. It was only in times of TsarTsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
Peter the First
Peter I of Russia
Peter the Great, Peter I or Pyotr Alexeyevich Romanov Dates indicated by the letters "O.S." are Old Style. All other dates in this article are New Style. ruled the Tsardom of Russia and later the Russian Empire from until his death, jointly ruling before 1696 with his half-brother, Ivan V...
, in 1700, that the system "from the nativity of Christ" was introduced. Upon returning from his embassy to western Europe, Tsar Peter changed the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n New Year's Day
New Year's Day
New Year's Day is observed on January 1, the first day of the year on the modern Gregorian calendar as well as the Julian calendar used in ancient Rome...
from September 1 (the date used in the Roman (Byzantine) empire) to January 1, the conventional date in the West. He also altered the method of counting years, adopting the Anno Domini
Anno Domini
and Before Christ are designations used to label or number years used with the Julian and Gregorian calendars....
system. Thus, January 1, 7208 (dated according to the "year of the world", or Anno Mundi
Anno Mundi
' , abbreviated as AM or A.M., refers to a Calendar era based on the Biblical creation of the world. Numerous efforts have been made to determine the Biblical date of Creation, yielding varying results. Besides differences in interpretation, which version of the Bible is being referenced also...
, that is 5509 BCE) became January 1, 1700. The Tsar did not, however, adopt the Gregorian calendar
Gregorian calendar
The Gregorian calendar, also known as the Western calendar, or Christian calendar, is the internationally accepted civil calendar. It was introduced by Pope Gregory XIII, after whom the calendar was named, by a decree signed on 24 February 1582, a papal bull known by its opening words Inter...
. He simply conformed Russia’s Julian calendar
Julian calendar
The Julian calendar began in 45 BC as a reform of the Roman calendar by Julius Caesar. It was chosen after consultation with the astronomer Sosigenes of Alexandria and was probably designed to approximate the tropical year .The Julian calendar has a regular year of 365 days divided into 12 months...
to the form of the Julian calendar then still used in England and many other Protestant territories.
Modern use
To this day, traditional Orthodox ChristiansEastern Orthodox Church
The Orthodox Church, officially called the Orthodox Catholic Church and commonly referred to as the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the second largest Christian denomination in the world, with an estimated 300 million adherents mainly in the countries of Belarus, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Georgia, Greece,...
will use the Byzantine calculation of the Etos Kosmou in conjunction with the Anno Domini year. Both dates appear on Orthodox cornerstone
Cornerstone
The cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or...
s, ecclesiastical calendars and formal documents. The ecclesiastical new year is still observed on September 1 (for those churches which follow the Julian Calendar, their September 1 falls on the Gregorian Calendar's September 14).
External links
- Catholic Encyclopedia article (1912 ed.), "Chronicon Paschale".
- Catholic Encyclopedia article (1912 ed.), "Georgius Syncellus".
- Easton's Bible Dictionary, ed. 1897, "Chronology".
- More info on calendars, including Alexandrian world era and Byzantine era.
- Excerpt from an article by Prof. Lenora Neville in the Jan. 2000 issue of Archaeology Odyssey.
- Brooklyn Queens Land Trust, Article Archives, Volume 4, 2006.
- A personal site about important dates.
- Epochs and Eras