Published April 1997 — Download PDF of the original newspaper column
Byrd's-Eye View By U.S. Senator Robert C. Byrd The Time of Our Lives
With an understanding of history, we can learn from our ancestors, avoid many of the perils that befell them, and build upon their successes. But, without the ability to measure time and to make order out of the common and uncommon occurrences of the past, a useful understanding of history could prove elusive. Modern society uses the birth of Jesus Christ as a primary reference point for recorded history. A.D., anno Domini, Latin for "in the year of our Lord", and B.C., "before Christ", mark the years following and years preceding the birth of Christ. Around 527 A.D., a monk residing in Rome calculated the year of Christ's birth, and instituted that date as the starting point for what is called the "Christian Era." By recognizing this reference point, we are able to better clarify when an historic event took place. Prior to the establishment of the Christian Era, civilizations employed other methods to record history. The modern calendar is defined by unchanging numerical rules. For example, a calendar year is characterized by four seasons and 12 months. But ancient civilizations measured time with different criteria, including astronomical, religious, or political influences. Early agricultural civilizations reckoned time by the passing of the seasons or by the blossoming of various plants. The Greeks measured time with Olympiads, which were intervals of four years that marked the span between their celebrated games. In some other ancient calendars, years were numbered according to the year of a ruler's reign. The modern calendar is a solar calendar, based on the 365 days required for the earth to orbit the sun. It is modeled after the calendar introduced by Pope Gregory XIII more than 400 years ago and adapted from the calendar of Julius Caesar. The names of the months originate from names of Roman Gods, and, in fact, the term "calendar" derives from the word "kalendae," Latin for the first day of the Roman month. Although the modern calendar has seen efficiency improvements since the age of Caesar, its roots lie in the calendar of ancient Rome. It is, therefore, as much a useful tool in today's hurried, time-conscious society as it is a link to the past and a reminder of the lessons of history. April 30, 1997