begins with the baptism of an adult Jesus.  This suggests that the earliest Christians lacked interest in

 or knowledge of Jesus’ birthdate.

C.     The year of Jesus birth was determined by Dionysius Exiguus, a Scythian monk, “abbot of a Roman monastery.  His calculation went as follows:

a.       In the Roman, pre-Christian era, years were counted from ab urbe condita (“the founding of the

 City” [Rome])  Thus 1 AUC signifies the year Rome was founded, 5 AUC signifies the 5^th  year of Rome reign, etc.

b.     Dionysius received a tradition that the Roman emperor Augustus reigned 43 years, and was

      followed by the emperor Tiberius.

c.       Luke 3:1,23 indicates that when Jesus turned 30 years old, it was the 15^th year of Tiberius reign.

d.      If Jesus was 30 years old in Tiberius’ reign, then he lived 15 years under Augustus (placing Jesus

          birth in Augustus’ 28^th year of reign).

e.       Augustus took power in 727 AUC.  Therefore, Dionysius put Jesus birth in 754 AUC.

f.        However, Luke 1:5 places Jesus’ birth in the days of Herod, and Herod died in 750 AUC

 – four years before the year in which Dionysius places Jesus birth.