{a} Dictionary Definition of "Roman Indiction."

In chronology, a cycle of fifteen years instituted by Constantine the Great; originally, a period of taxation. Constantine having reduced the time which the Romans were obliged to serve in the army to fifteen years, imposed a tax or tribute at the end of the term, to pay the troops' discharged. This practice introduced the keeping of accounts by this period. But, as it is said, in honour of the great victory of Constantine over Mezentius, Sept. 24, A.D. 312, by which Christianity was more firmly established, the council of Nice ordained that accounts of years should no more be kept by Olymiads, but that the "indiction" should be used as the point from which to reckon the date years. This was begun Jan. 1, A.D. 313. "Johnson. Encyc."

Taken from the definition of "Indiction" in "Noah Webster's First Edition of an American Dictionary of the English Language", Published 1989, by "Foundation for American Christian Education", California. (Dictionary was first published in 1828.)

{b} Lunar Cycle

The lunar cycle consists of 19 years or 235 complete orbits of the moon around the earth. This differs from 19 years of 365.25 days each by approximately one and an half hours. On the first year of the next cycle of 19 years, the new moon would again be on January 1.

{c} Solar Cycle

The solar cycle consists of 28 years. At the start of each new cycle every day and month of the year would correspond exactly to the days and months of the first year of the previous cycle.

{d} Time of Creation

Since the Jews used to start their year in the autumn, this is not an unreasonable assumption. Also the biblical pattern of "evening and morning" seems to apply to year as well as days. First the dark months of autumn and winter and then the bright months of spring and summer. This also fits the biblical pattern in spiritual matters too. For the saint, his worst lot in life comes first followed by an eternal day of happiness in Christ. The best wine comes last. Joh 2:10 See Spurgeon's Sermon No. 225, "Satan's Banquet" and No. 226, "The Feast of the Lord".

{e} The Christian Era

The Christian Era should properly began with the year Christ was born; and in devising it, the intention was to have it begin with that year. By the "Christian Era" is meant the system upon which calendars are constructed and by which historical events are now dated in practically all the civilized world. But the originator of the system made a miscalculation as to the year (in the calendar then in use) in which Christ was born, as the result of which the year A.D. 1 was fixed four years too late. In other words, the Lord Jesus was four years old in the year A.D. 1.

The mistake came about in this way: The Christian Era (i.e. the scheme of dates beginning A.D. 1) was not devised until A.D. 532. Its inventor, or contriver, was a monk named Dionysius Exiguus. At that time the system of dates in common use began from the era of the emperor Diocletian, A.D. 284. Exiguus was not willing to connect his system of dates with the name of that infamous tyrant and persecutor. So he conceived the idea of connecting his system with and dating all its events from, the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. His reason for wishing to do this was, as he wrote to Bishop Petronius, "to the end that the commencement of our hope might be better known to us and that the cause of man's restoration, namely, our Redeemer's passion, might appear with clearer evidence."

For the carrying out of this excellent plan, it was necessary to fix the date of the Incarnation in the terms of the chronological systems then in vogue. The Romans dated the beginning of their history from the supposed date of the founding of the city ("ab urbe condita" or A.U.C as usually abbreviated). Dionysius Exiguus calculated that the year of our Lord's birth was A.U.C. 753. He made his equivalence of dates from Lu 3:1, "Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar" etc., at which time Christ was 30 years of age according to Lu 3:23. But it was ascertained later that a mistake of four years had been made; for it clearly appears by Mt 2:1 that Christ was born before the death of Herod, who died in 749 A.U.C. Tiberius succeeded Augustus, Aug. 19, A.U.C. 767. Hence his 15th year would be A.U.C. 779; and from those facts Dionysius was right in his calculation. But it was discovered in later years that Tiberius began to reign as colleague with Augustus four years before the latter died. Hence the 15th year mentioned by Luke was four years earlier than was supposed by Dionysius and consequently the birth of Christ was that many years earlier than the date selected by Exiguus, which date has been followed ever since. This must be allowed for in any computation of dates which involves events happening before Christ.

"The Wonders of Bible Chronology", Page 84,85, Philip Mauro, first published 1922, Reprinted by, Reiner Publications, Swengel, Pennsylvania

Philip Melanchthon:
His Narration, Concerning
Philip Prince Palatine,
to Rhenus.

I have often heard Capino relate the following when Dalburgius, the Bishop of the Vangions, Rudolphus Agricola and myself were with Philip Prince Palatine Elector. Not only in ordinary conversation but also in serious discussions about the affairs of the state, they would often bring notable examples from the Persian or Greek or Roman history. The Prince was very zealous to know more of history and he noted that the distinction of the times, nations and empires, was necessary for this. Therefore he wished them to make a chronology of the kingdoms of ancient history based on all available Hebrew, Greek and Latin authors. At that time in 1480 AD, there were no books about the ancient empires in the German language. Nor had the Latins anything of that nature, save Justin's confused Epitome, which also lacked a detailed chronology. Those learned men were delighted to compile this work. Therefore they compiled a chronology from Hebrew, Greek, and Latin monuments of the various monarchies. To this they added all the most important events in proper place and created a chronology of the nations and times. This grateful Prince read these works most earnestly and delighted in them. Also he was thankful that the times and the memory of the most important events were preserved by Divine Providence. For they showed him, how that the history of the world was continued, so that Herodatus begins his writings a little before the end of the prophetic history. For even before the end of the Persian monarchy, concerning which we have a most clear account of Daniel, Ezra and Nehemiah, some of the names of the kings of Assyria and Egypt, are the same in the prophets and Herodotus. Jeremiah foretells their destruction to Apries, which also Herodotus describes. After Apries kills Jeremiah, Amasis strangles the proud king after he had captured him. The Palatine prince said he saw the witness of the Divine presence in the ordering of empires. For these empires could neither be attained nor retained by mere human power. Therefore they were created that they might be the upholders of human society, unite many nations, restore law, justice, peace and indeed, they might teach men concerning God. Therefore, he did often repeat those words of Daniel that God changes and confirms empires. He said likewise, that by the changes and punishments of tyrants, the just judgment of the Almighty was most conspicuous. By these illustrious examples, all mankind was admonished to acknowledge God and were to understand that he wills and ordains justice and is truly offended with those who transgress this his ordination. Such were the speeches of that Prince, concerning the rise and fall of empires.