Æra

ÆRA, is the same thing very near with Epoch, of which we shall say something in its place. The Chronologers call the fixed points of their Chronology Æra. The Heathens, for example, talk much of the first Olympiad, the Trojan War, the Voyage for the golden Fleece, the Æra of the Foundation of Rome, the Æra of Nabonassar, of Alexander the Great, of the Seleucidæ, or, as in the language of the books of Maccabees, the year of the Greeks, and last of all, the year of Jesus Christ.

The Æra of the first Olympiad we fix at the year of the World 3228, before Jesus Christ 772.

The taking of the Town of Troy by the Greeks at the year of the World 2820, before Jesus Christ 1180.

The Voyage undertaken in order to bring away the golden Fleece, at 2760.

The Foundation of Rome at 2856. The Æra of Nabonassar at 3257, before Jesus Christ 743.

The Æra of Alexander the Great, or his last victory over Darius, at 3674, before Jesus Christ 326.

The Æra of the Seleucidæ at the year of the Julian Period 4403, of the World 3692, before Jesus Christ 308, before the vulgar Æra 312. The Jews call it the Æra of Contracts¹. The first book of Maccabees places the beginning of it in Spring, the second in Autumn.

The Æra of the birth of Jesus Christ in 4000, the 25th of December, three years and six days before our vulgar Æra, wherein we reckon this year 1719; whereas if we were to take exactly the Æra of our Saviour’s birth, we should reckon 1722. Other Æra’s may be seen under the Article EPOCH. Here are as many as are necessary for fixing the Chronology of the several books in the Bible. See also the Chronological Table.

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