The term ante Christum natum (Latin for 'before Christ [was] born'), usually abbreviated to a. Chr. n., a.Ch.n., a.C.n., A.C.N., or ACN, denotes the years before the birth of Jesus Christ. It is a Latin equivalent to the English "BC" ("before Christ"). The phrase ante Christum natum is also seen shortened to ante Christum ("before Christ"), similarly abbreviated to a. Chr., A. C. or AC. A related phrase, p. Chr. n., p. Ch. n., P.C.M, PCN, or post Christum natum complements a. Ch. n. and is equivalent to Anno Domini (AD).
In English, these phrases are rare and AC, ACN, and ante Christum natum are not in the Chicago Manual of Style (14th edition), the American Heritage Dictionary (3rd edition), or P. Kenneth Seidelmann's Explanatory Supplement to the Astronomical Almanac (1992, University Science Books). In other European languages, such as Italian ("a.c." or "a.C." for avanti Cristo), a vernacular version is the standard term.
The Anglo-Saxon historian Bede used the Latin phrase ante incarnationis dominicae tempus ("before the time of the Incarnation of the Lord") in his Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum (Ecclesiastical History of the English People) (Book 1, Chapter 2) of 731 PCN, and thereby became the first author to describe a year as being before Christ. Both Dionysius Exiguus and Saint Bede, who was familiar with the work of the former, regarded Anno Domini 1 as beginning on the date of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ, yet "the distinction between Incarnation and Nativity was not drawn until the late 9th century, when in some places the Incarnation epoch was identified with Christ's conception, i. e., the Annunciation on March 25".
See also
- Chronology of Jesus
- Common Era
- List of ecclesiastical abbreviations
- Nativity of Jesus
References
- Sometimes incorrectly spelled Ante Christus Natum
- British Library manuscripts catalogue Archived May 21, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- General Chronology in the Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913
- Webster's New World College Dictionary, Fourth Edition
- Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary (1983)
- Example from LogosLibrary.eu Archived 2011-07-20 at the Wayback Machine.
- The full phrase may be (please verify) ante vero incarnationis dominicae tempus anno sexagesimo ("in fact in the sixtieth year before the time of the Lord's incarnation"), which is quoted from the first sentence of Book 1, Chapter 2.
- Blackburn & Holford-Strevens 2003, p. 881.
Sources
- Blackburn, Bonnie; Holford-Strevens, Leofranc (2003) [1999]. The Oxford companion to the year (Reprinted ed.). Oxford.
The term ante Christum natum Latin for before Christ was born usually abbreviated to a Chr n a Ch n a C n A C N or ACN denotes the years before the birth of Jesus Christ It is a Latin equivalent to the English BC before Christ The phrase ante Christum natum is also seen shortened to ante Christum before Christ similarly abbreviated to a Chr A C or AC A related phrase p Chr n p Ch n P C M PCN or post Christum natum complements a Ch n and is equivalent to Anno Domini AD In English these phrases are rare and AC ACN and ante Christum natum are not in the Chicago Manual of Style 14th edition the American Heritage Dictionary 3rd edition or P Kenneth Seidelmann s Explanatory Supplement to the Astronomical Almanac 1992 University Science Books In other European languages such as Italian a c or a C for avanti Cristo a vernacular version is the standard term The Anglo Saxon historian Bede used the Latin phrase ante incarnationis dominicae tempus before the time of the Incarnation of the Lord in his Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum Ecclesiastical History of the English People Book 1 Chapter 2 of 731 PCN and thereby became the first author to describe a year as being before Christ Both Dionysius Exiguus and Saint Bede who was familiar with the work of the former regarded Anno Domini 1 as beginning on the date of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ yet the distinction between Incarnation and Nativity was not drawn until the late 9th century when in some places the Incarnation epoch was identified with Christ s conception i e the Annunciation on March 25 See alsoChronology of Jesus Common Era List of ecclesiastical abbreviations Nativity of JesusReferencesSometimes incorrectly spelled Ante Christus Natum British Library manuscripts catalogue Archived May 21 2011 at the Wayback Machine General Chronology in the Catholic Encyclopedia of 1913 Webster s New World College Dictionary Fourth Edition Webster s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary 1983 Example from LogosLibrary eu Archived 2011 07 20 at the Wayback Machine The full phrase may be please verify ante vero incarnationis dominicae tempus anno sexagesimo in fact in the sixtieth year before the time of the Lord s incarnation which is quoted from the first sentence of Book 1 Chapter 2 Blackburn amp Holford Strevens 2003 p 881 SourcesBlackburn Bonnie Holford Strevens Leofranc 2003 1999 The Oxford companion to the year Reprinted ed Oxford
