Calendopaedia - Counting Years

How were years counted in the past?

To learn more about when the year actually started please see the New Year page.

Regnal Years

How do we count years?

When The Venerable Bede (673-735) wrote his history of the early centuries of Anglo-Saxon England he adopted the system of Dionysius and its use spread until it became a de facto standard.

Was Jesus born in the year 0?

There is no year 0.

Jesus was born before 4 BC.

Does the lack of year zero cause a problem?

What date did other calendars give when we started the year 2000?