AD vs BC

AD vs BC: The terms AD and BC are commonly used to refer to the years before and after the birth of Jesus Christ. AD stands for Anno Domini, which is Latin for “in the year of the Lord” and refers to the years after the birth of Jesus Christ. BC stands for Before Christ and refers to the years before the birth of Jesus Christ. The use of AD and BC as a dating system was first proposed by the monk Dionysius Exiguus in the 6th century AD, and it was later adopted by the Christian church and eventually became the standard dating system used in the Western world. However, this dating system has been a subject of controversy in recent times as alternative dating systems have been proposed that are considered more inclusive and neutral. In this article, we will explore the differences between AD and BC and their historical context. 

AD vs CE

History of AD and BC

• AD (Anno Domini) and BC (Before Christ) are commonly used to refer to the years before and after the birth of Jesus Christ. The use of AD and BC as a dating system was first proposed by the monk Dionysius Exiguus in the 6th century AD. Dionysius was a Christian monk and abbot who lived in Rome. He was appointed by Pope John I to compute the date of Easter. To do this, he needed to determine the date of the birth of Jesus Christ.
• Dionysius decided to use the birth of Jesus as the starting point for a new era, which he called the “Era of Martyrs.” This era was based on the traditional date of the birth of Jesus, which was believed to be around the year 753 AUC (Ab Urbe Condita, or “from the foundation of the city” – the Roman calendar). Dionysius calculated the birth of Jesus Christ to have occurred in the year 753 AUC, and he began counting the years from that point forward. He choose the term “Anno Domini” (AD), which means “in the year of the Lord,” to indicate the years after the birth of Jesus.
• Dionysius’s dating system was not immediately accepted by the Christian church, and other dating systems were used throughout the Middle Ages. However, over time, AD and BC became widely accepted as the standard dating system in the Western world.
• BC (Before Christ) was used in conjunction with AD to indicate the years before the birth of Jesus Christ. The term BC was coined by the English monk Bede in the 8th century AD. He used the term “ante Christum” (Latin for “before Christ”) to indicate the years before the birth of Jesus Christ. The use of BC in conjunction with AD helped to create a complete historical dating system.
• It’s worth mentioning that this dating system is based on the historical events of Christianity, and it’s not inclusive to other cultures and religions. Thus alternative dating systems such as CE (Common Era) and BCE (Before Common Era) have been proposed that are considered more inclusive and neutral.

AD (Anno Domini)

• Anno Domini (AD) is a Latin phrase that translates to “in the year of the Lord.” It is used as a dating system to refer to the years after the birth of Jesus Christ. AD is often used in conjunction with BC (Before Christ) to create a complete historical dating system.
• The AD dating system is based on the traditional date of the birth of Jesus Christ, which is believed to be around the year 753 AUC (Ab Urbe Condita, or “from the foundation of the city” – the Roman calendar). The AD system starts counting the years from the birth of Jesus Christ.
• The AD dating system is primarily used in the Western world and is the standard dating system used in most countries. It is closely tied to the Christian religion and the belief in the birth of Jesus Christ.
• In terms of usage, AD is used to assign specific dates to historical events and records. It helps to organize historical information and provide context for events that occurred in the past.
• However, it’s worth mentioning that some scholars and groups have called for the use of alternative dating systems, such as CE (Common Era), as they consider AD to be exclusive and based on Christianity.

Example: The end of World War II in Europe is commonly considered to have occurred on May 8, 1945. This date is typically written as “May 8, 1945 AD” or “May 8, 1945, CE” (Common Era) to indicate that it occurred in the years after the birth of Jesus Christ.

BC (Before Christ)

• BC (Before Christ) is a dating system that is used to refer to the years before the birth of Jesus Christ. It is often used in conjunction with AD (Anno Domini) to create a complete historical dating system.
• The BC dating system is based on the traditional date of the birth of Jesus Christ, which is believed to be around the year 753 AUC (Ab Urbe Condita, or “from the foundation of the city” – the Roman calendar). The BC system starts counting the years before the birth of Jesus Christ.
• The BC dating system is primarily used in the Western world and is closely tied to the Christian religion and the belief in the birth of Jesus Christ.
• In terms of usage, BC is used to assign specific dates to historical events and records that occurred before the birth of Jesus Christ. It helps to organize historical information and provide context for events that occurred in the past.
• However, it’s worth mentioning that some scholars and groups have called for the use of alternative dating systems, such as BCE (Before Common Era), as they consider BC to be exclusive and based on Christianity.

Example: The construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt is commonly believed to have occurred around 2560 BC. This date is typically written as “2560 BC” to indicate that it occurred before the birth of Jesus Christ.

In the above Diagram, we can easily understand AD and BC are in the opposite direction in the time period, which uses to show the number of years of a specific incident. 

Difference Between AD and BC

AD(Anno Domini)	BC ( Before Christ)
Refers to the years after the birth of Jesus Christ	Refers to the years before the birth of Jesus Christ
Latin for “in the year of the Lord”	Latin for “before Christ”
Proposed by the monk Dionysius Exiguus in 6th century AD	Proposed by the monk Dionysius Exiguus in 6th century AD
Often used in conjunction with BC to create a complete historical dating system	Often used in conjunction with AD to create a complete historical dating system
Some scholars and groups have called for the use of alternative dating systems, such as CE (Common Era)	Some scholars and groups have called for the use of alternative dating systems, such as BCE (Before Common Era)

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between AD and BC?

AD stands for Anno Domini, which is Latin for “in the year of the Lord.” It is used to indicate years in the Christian era, with AD 1 being the year Jesus Christ was believed to have been born. BC stands for Before Christ and is used to indicate years before the birth of Jesus Christ.

How does the AD/BC system work?

The AD/BC system of dating is based on the traditionally-accepted year of the birth of Jesus Christ. Years that come after the birth of Jesus Christ are designated as AD (Anno Domini), while years before the birth of Jesus Christ are designated as BC (Before Christ). For example, the year AD 2021 is 2021 years after the birth of Jesus Christ, while the year BC 1 is one year before the birth of Jesus Christ.

How did the AD/BC dating system come to be used?

The AD/BC dating system was first proposed by Dionysius Exiguus, a 6th-century monk. He wanted to establish a system of dating that would be in line with the Christian calendar, and so he proposed the use of AD and BC to indicate years in relation to the birth of Jesus Christ. The system was gradually adopted by scholars and eventually became widely used throughout the Western world.