JULIAN PERIOD Meaning and
Definition
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The Julian period refers to a chronological system used in history and astronomy to uniquely identify dates. It was introduced by the renowned Greek-Egyptian scientist, mathematician, and astronomer Julius Caesar Scaliger in the 16th century.
The Julian period is a cycle of 7,980 years, which is obtained by multiplying three different cycles together: a 28-year solar cycle, a 19-year lunar cycle, and a 15-year cycle unrelated to astronomical phenomena. This combination results in a system that repeats itself every 7,980 years before any given date aligns with the same Julian period number.
It is most commonly used to establish an absolute chronology and facilitate the conversion between different historical calendars, particularly the Julian and Gregorian calendars. By assigning a unique Julian period number to every day, month, and year, scholars and astronomers can accurately compare dates and events across different eras.
The Julian period has proven to be a valuable tool in various fields, including history, archaeology, genealogy, and astronomy. Its significance lies in providing a consistent framework to analyze and compare dates throughout different historical periods, transcending the complexities and discrepancies inherent in the various calendrical systems used worldwide.
Common Misspellings for JULIAN PERIOD
- hulian period
- nulian period
- mulian period
- kulian period
- iulian period
- uulian period
- jylian period
- jhlian period
- jjlian period
- jilian period
- j8lian period
- j7lian period
- jukian period
- jupian period
- juoian period
- juluan period
- juljan period
- julkan period
- juloan period
- jul9an period
Etymology of JULIAN PERIOD
The word "Julian" in the term "Julian period" refers to Julius Caesar, the Roman general and dictator who introduced the Julian calendar in 45 BCE. The term "Julian" is derived from the Latin name "Iulianus", which is a patronymic form of "Iulius", the gens (or family) name of Julius Caesar. The Julian calendar, named after him, was a reform of the Roman calendar, with a year consisting of 365.25 days, more accurately approximating the solar year. The "Julian period" itself, however, refers to a chronological system named after Joseph Justus Scaliger, a French scholar who devised it in the 16th century. It combines the solar years, lunar cycles, and the 28-year cycle of the Julian calendar to create a uniform system to date events across different historical eras.
