Dating in Later Roman Empire ( - 300-400 AD)

[lothia]

Ave,

 

I am nearing completion of a novel about the rise and fall of Flavius Hannibalianus.

 

I have hit a snag on events.

 

I have many sources from which I draw, and there seems to be a descrepency in the date of the Emperor Constantine's 30th anniversary.

 

Some report it as being celebrated in AD 335 and some in AD 336.

 

I was wondering about this.

 

I know that Romans, when they spoke of their annual calendar, used inclusive dates, such as the 28th of December would have been referred to as [the fifth day before the Kalends of January], (28, 29, 30, 31, and 1) as opposed to how I count days today [four days before the First] (29,30,31, and 1).

 

If a Roman did count years like they counted days, this couild explain why the two reported dates.

 

Thanks again,

 

Me.

[analogmusicman]

Ave,

 

I am nearing completion of a novel about the rise and fall of Flavius Hannibalianus.

 

I have hit a snag on events.

 

I have many sources from which I draw, and there seems to be a descrepency in the date of the Emperor Constantine's 30th anniversary.

 

Some report it as being celebrated in AD 335 and some in AD 336.

 

I was wondering about this.

 

I know that Romans, when they spoke of their annual calendar, used inclusive dates, such as the 28th of December would have been referred to as [the fifth day before the Kalends of January], (28, 29, 30, 31, and 1) as opposed to how I count days today [four days before the First] (29,30,31, and 1).

 

If a Roman did count years like they counted days, this couild explain why the two reported dates.

 

Thanks again,

 

Me.

 

the actual calendar that we use today, AD/BC, didn't make it's debut until the sixth century AD when Dionysis Exigisuus figured it all out at the behest of one of the pope's. dates before that are not exact, especially when you get down to days.

 

tnx,

[sylla]

I have many sources from which I draw, and there seems to be a descrepency in the date of the Emperor Constantine's 30th anniversary.

 

Some report it as being celebrated in AD 335 and some in AD 336.

Can you mention which sources are "some" and which others "some"?

 

As far as I know, our main sources (Eusebius, Lactantius, Anonimus Valesianus) counted Constatine's Dies Imperii from his fater's death in July 25, 306 AD.