Legal Definitions - anno orbis conditi

Anno orbis conditi, often abbreviated as AOC, is a Latin phrase meaning "in the year of the creation of the world." It refers to a system of dating events from the supposed date of the world's creation, rather than from other common reference points such as the birth of Christ (Anno Domini).

Here are some examples to illustrate this concept:

• Example 1: Interpreting an Ancient Text
  Imagine an archaeologist unearths an ancient scroll detailing a significant historical battle. The scroll concludes with the date "AOC 5500." To understand when this battle actually took place in relation to modern calendars, scholars would need to convert "AOC 5500" into a more familiar dating system, recognizing that the original author was dating the event from their belief about the world's creation. This shows anno orbis conditi as a specific chronological marker used in historical records.

• Example 2: Historical Chronology Studies
  A university professor specializing in ancient history might teach about different dating systems used by early civilizations. They could explain how various cultures, including some early Christian and Jewish traditions, developed their own calculations for the "anno orbis conditi," leading to different starting points for their calendars. This highlights anno orbis conditi as a concept central to understanding diverse historical timelines and the methods people used to record time.

• Example 3: Fictional Historical Document
  Consider a historical novel where a character discovers an old family heirloom, a beautifully inscribed silver plate. The inscription reads, "Presented to the esteemed Elder on the occasion of the Great Harvest Festival, AOC 5780." The reader, or a character within the story, would understand that this date refers to a specific year according to a calendar that began with the creation of the world, providing a sense of antiquity and cultural context for the object. This demonstrates how anno orbis conditi can be used to establish a historical period within a specific cultural or traditional framework.