Chronology

the doctrine of science of time, or of computing dates: the method of ascertaining the true periods, or years, when past events took place, and arranging them in their proper order, according to their dates. The following are the leading systems of chronology existing among the several nations of the world: Chinese and Japanese Chronology: In these calculation is made by cycles of 60 years, each year of the cycle separately named. Hindu Chronology: (1)_ Historical: No system is universal in India or exclusive. Two of the chief are the era of Hindus have four ages. We are now in the ali Yooga, beginning 3101 B. c. Greek Chronology: Im the time of Hero dot us, and subsequently in that of Thucydides, the Greeks had no chronology spanning wide intervals of time. It was not till B. c. 194 that Eratosthenes, the “father” of Greek chronology, began to count by Olympiads, the first of which was dated uo what we now should call B. c. Roman Chronology: The method of Roman reckoning was by the consulships, which, of course, could give no indication of time unle their order was carefully preserved, and even then was clumsy. A much simpler and better plan was by calculating years from the building of the city. This Varro placed in what would now be called B. co. 758, while Cato preferred 752. Jewish Chronology: Up till the 15th century the Jews followed the era of the Seleucide. Since then they have dated from the creation of the world, which they fix 3760 years and three months before the commencement of the Christian era. Mohammedan Chronology: Dates are counted from the Hegira, that is, the time of Mohammed’s flight from Mecca to Medina, A. D. 622. Christian Chronology: Since the 6th century dates have begun to be reckoned from the birth of Christ, though the system did not become universal in HBurope till many centuries subsequently.; Chronometer, any instrument that measures time, as a clock, watch, or dial; but, specifically, this term is applied to those time-keepers which are used for determining the longitude at sea, or for any other purpose where an accurate measure of time is required, with great portability in the instrument.