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What do BC or BCE and AD or CE mean on time scales?
Simply put, BCE (Before Common Era) is a secular version of BC (before Christ). CE (Common Era) is the secular equivalent of AD (anno Domini), which means “in the year of the Lord” in Latin. BCE/CE have been in frequent use by Jewish academics for more than 100 years.
Is it OK to use BC and AD?
Correct dating usage is to put B.C., ”before Christ,” after the year and A.D., ”in the year of our Lord,” before the year. I may have goofed in more ways than one.
Which comes first AD or BC?
BC should appear after the numerical year, while AD should appear before it. BCE and CE should both appear after the numerical year. As is the case with most initialisms, periods may be used after each letter.
What is the difference between AD/BC and BCE/CE dates?
In one respect, there really is no difference between an AD/BC and BCE/CE system when it comes to historical dates. The year 23 AD is exactly the same as the year 23 CE, and 4004 BC is also 4004 BCE. References to historical dates under either classification shouldn’t create confusion in a researcher’s mind.
What is the BC/AD dating system?
The BC/AD dating system is based on the birth and life of Jesus Christ. The term BC is short for “Before Christ.” Historical dates before the birth of Christ become smaller as they approach the theoretical but non-existent Year Zero.
Is it politically correct to use BCE/CE instead of BCE?
The use of BCE/CE certainly has become more common in recent years but it is not a new invention of the “politically correct” nor is it even all that new; the use of “common era” in place of A.D. first appears in German in the 17th century CE and in English in the 18th.
What is the difference between BC and BCCE?
BCE/CE usually refers to the Common Era (the years are the same as AD/BC). That is, BC is usually understood to mean Before the Common Era and CE to mean Common Era, though it is possible to reinterpret the abbreviations as Christian Era..