Re: OT - Third Millennium (was: Merry Christmas)

[dbromage@fang.omni.com.au (David Bromage)]

James Brook (ajmbrook@ozemail.com.au) wrote:
: ie: the year 0 is the first year of the first millennium

Therein lies the error. There was no year 0. The zero was not in popular
use in Europe until long after the 6th century when Dionysis Exiguus
renumbered the years. The Julian calendar was developed by and named after
Julius Caeser in 45 BC, on the advice of the Egyptian astronomer Sosigines.
The Romans didn't even have a concept of zero, let alone a numeral to
describe it. Interestingly, the zero was in common usage in India by about
250 BC.

The first year of the 1st century (and millennium) was 1 AD.
The first year of the 2nd century was 101 AD.
The first year of the 20th century was 1901.
The first year of the 21st century is 2001.

Cheers
David