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THE ERA OF NABONASSAR.

THIS scientific Chaldean Era commenced soon after the Grecian and the Roman. Combined with the Christian, they form the four cardinal Eras of Sacred and Profane Chronology.

The origin of this Era is thus represented by Syncellus, from the accounts of Polyhistor and Berosus, the earliest writers extant on Chaldean History and Antiquities.

"Nabonassar [King of Babylon] having collected the acts of his predecessors, destroyed them, in order that the computation of the reigns of the Chaldean kings might be made from himself."

It began therefore with the reign of Nabonassar, Feb. 26, B.C. 747. The form of year employed therein, is the moveable year, of 365 days, consisting of 12 equal months of 30 days, and five supernumerary days; which was the year in common use, as we have seen, among the Chaldeans, Egyptians, Armenians, Persians, and the principal Oriental nations, from the earliest times. This year ran through all the seasons, in the course of 1461 years, as observed before.

Though the Historic Era of Nabonassar began the 26th of February, this was not the Astronomical commencement of the grand period of 1461 years: that began 120 years before, March 28, B.C. 867; when there was a synchronism of the New Moon and Vernal Equinox on that day †; which was the beginning of the Chaldean year also, and therefore the fittest for the commencement either of the very first, or at least a new period of their Annus Magnus.

The freedom of the Nabonassarean year, from intercalation, rendered it peculiarly convenient for astronomical calculation. Hence it was adopted by the early Greek astronomers, Timochares and Hipparchus; and by those of the Alexandrian

* Ναβονασαρος συναγαγων τας πράξεις των προ αυτου βασιλεων, ηφάνισεν, όπως απ' αυτου ἡ καταριθμησις γινηται των Χαλδαίων βασιλεων. Syncell. Chronograph. p. 207.

↑ This is demonstrated in a curious periodical publication, by Mr. Howes, entitled, Critical Observations on Books, Ancient and Modern, Vol. iii. Append. p. 57, 58, White, 1788, from a newly constructed Calippic Table, and from two Solar Eclipses, Aug. 4, B.C. 868, and July 24, B.C. 867, furnished by M. Pingrè, Hist. Acad. Bell. N. B. By reckoning the first year before the Vulgar Era, O, he dates these eclipses a year short of the common mode; namely, B.C. 867 and 866.

school, Ptolomy, &c. In consequence of this, the whole historical catalogue of reigns has been commonly, though improperly, called Ptolomy's Canon; because he probably continued the original table of Chaldean and Persian kings, and added thereto the Egyptian and Roman, down to his own time.

The commencement of the Era of Nabonassar, B.C. 747, is critically defined, both from History and Astronomy.

1. Thucydides, B. 8, has preserved a curious original document, in the third treaty of peace concluded between Tissaphernes and the Peloponnesians, beginning with its date: "In the 13th year of the reign of Darius [II, Nothus,] &c." This treaty, it appears from the history, was made in winter, in the 20th year of the Peloponnesian war, which began in the spring, B.C. 431; and, consequently, the 20th year, in winter, was the beginning of the Julian year, B.C. 410: which, added to the 13th year of Darius, or 337th of the Era, gives its commencement, B.C. 747.

2. Censorinus, in the valuable synchronisms mentioned before, states, that the 986th Nabonassarean year began the 7th of the Calends of July, or June 25, in the year A.D. 238, in which he published his work. Therefore, that Nabonassarean year did not end till June 25, of the next Julian year, A.D. 239; which, subtracted from 986, gives the commencement of the Era, B.C. 747.

3. According to Ptolomy, Hipparchus selected three ancient eclipses of the moon, out of those observed at Babylon, and brought from thence; of which the first happened in the first year; and the two others, in the second year of Mardok Empadus, the fifth king in succession from Nabonassar. This proves decisively, that the Era of Nabonassar was in established use before the time of Hipparchus, though he did not give the collected years from the beginning of the Era. These, probably, were not reckoned up in the original Chaldean Era, which only marked the succession of kings, and the number of years which each reigned. The collected years might have been added afterwards by the Egyptian astronomers.

Ptolomy himself mentions a lunar eclipse of 7 digits, in the 7th year of Ptolomy Philometor, and 574th year from Nabonassar, which happened on the 27th of the Egyptian month Phamenoth, and lasted from the 8th, to the 10th hour. In that year, the 27th of Phamenoth, was the first of May. And, by astrono

mical calculation, there was a lunar eclipse of 7 dig. 26 min. on May 1, B.C. 174, which lasted 2 h. 50 min.; and this year, B.C. 174, added to 573 years complete, gives B.C. 747, for the commencement of the Era.

The following Tables of Nabonassarean years, reduced to Julian; and of the collective days of the twelve months of the Egyptian, or Nabonassarean year, are of considerable use in calculation.

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N. B. It is necessary to observe, that in the first year of Darius Hystaspes, two Chaldean, or Nabonassarean years, began in the same Julian year, B.C. 521; namely, the 227th, on the first of January, and the 228th, on the 31st of December following. Before this time, the Chaldean year, which began in any Julian year, is also the year conumerary with it, or the year for the most part coinciding therewith. Thus the years N. E. 224, 225, 226, 227, beginning January 1, coincide throughout with the Julian years, B.C. 524, 523, 522, 521, respectively, beginning on the same day; and are, therefore, conumerary therewith, critically; and if we ascend to the first of the Era, N.E. 1, it began February 26, or only 57 days later than the Julian, B.C. 747; which, therefore, was conumerary the remainder of the year. Hence every Chaldean year before 228, is conumerary with the Julian year in which it began; and, accordingly, is rightly placed in Petavius' Tables, Lib. XIII. of the Doctrina Temp. Vol. II. p. 309,

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