JessiccaFact: Age and era
October 8th 2006 01:00
An age is a period of existence, a generation to which one belongs, or a long but indefinite space of time. In this context, it is any great period of human history distinguished by certain mythical or real characters: the Bronze Age, the Golden Age, the Middle Ages, etc. An era is an historical period marked by particular influences or social conditions, or a new stage in the history of an individual, institution, or nation: Christian Era, Depression Era. Ages and eras are also spoken of in the context of geology.
What does Wikipedia has to say?
Era
Era is a word used in English since 1615, derived from Late Latin æra, era "an era or epoch from which time is reckoned," probably identical to Latin æra "counters used for calculation," plural of æs "brass, money".
The Latin word's use in chronology seems to have begun in 5th century Visigothic Spain, where it appears in the History of Isidore of Seville, and in later texts. The Spanish era is calculated from 38 BC, perhaps because of a tax (cfr. indiction) levied in that year, or due to a miscalculation of the Battle of Actium, which occurred in 31 BC.
Like epoch, "era" in English it originally meant "the starting point of an age;" the meaning "system of chronological notation" is c.1646; that of "historical period" is 1741.
In chronology, an era is the highest level for the organization of the measurement of time. A calendar era span of many years which are numbered beginning at a specific epoch, which often marks the origin of a state or cosmology, the birth of a leader, or another significant historical or mythological event; it can be called after either accordingly.
The word era also denotes the units used under a different, more arbitrary system where time is not represented as an endless continuum with a single reference year, but each unit starts counting from one again, as if time starts again. Such rather impractical system — a nightmare for historians once a single piece of the puzzle is missing — is the use of regnal years, which often reflects the preponderance in public life of the absolute ruler in many ancient cultures, while such tradition sometimes outlives the political power of the throne.
What does Wikipedia has to say?
Era is a word used in English since 1615, derived from Late Latin æra, era "an era or epoch from which time is reckoned," probably identical to Latin æra "counters used for calculation," plural of æs "brass, money".
The Latin word's use in chronology seems to have begun in 5th century Visigothic Spain, where it appears in the History of Isidore of Seville, and in later texts. The Spanish era is calculated from 38 BC, perhaps because of a tax (cfr. indiction) levied in that year, or due to a miscalculation of the Battle of Actium, which occurred in 31 BC.
Like epoch, "era" in English it originally meant "the starting point of an age;" the meaning "system of chronological notation" is c.1646; that of "historical period" is 1741.
In chronology, an era is the highest level for the organization of the measurement of time. A calendar era span of many years which are numbered beginning at a specific epoch, which often marks the origin of a state or cosmology, the birth of a leader, or another significant historical or mythological event; it can be called after either accordingly.
The word era also denotes the units used under a different, more arbitrary system where time is not represented as an endless continuum with a single reference year, but each unit starts counting from one again, as if time starts again. Such rather impractical system — a nightmare for historians once a single piece of the puzzle is missing — is the use of regnal years, which often reflects the preponderance in public life of the absolute ruler in many ancient cultures, while such tradition sometimes outlives the political power of the throne.
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