Why is it for example, 334-333 BC and not 333-334 BC ??

Question

Why is it for example, 334-333 BC and not 333-334 BC ??

Answer 1

BC numbers run backward, as it's considered a zero point.  The "B" stands for "before."

Answer 2

Because 334BC was before 333BC

Answer 3

BC goes backwards because it is recorded before christ or before the year zero so 334 is 334 years before zero while 333 is 333 years before zero and it is after it. 333-334 is not right because 333 happened after 334 so it would be exactly like saying why is it 2007-2008 AD not 2008-2007 AD.

Answer 4

Because you are counting toward when Christ was born.  For example, 1 BC is 1 year before the Birth of Christ.  2BC is 2 years, etc. So you only start counting forward after the birth.  Does that explain it?

Answer 5

Previous commenters have it right- the years start running backwards.. 333 BCE is before 334 BCE. But just as a nit-picking aside, the term most widely used (especially in academic circles) is BCE (before common era), avoiding the baggage of BC (before Christ). If you're at all curious, Jesus is estimated to have been born around 4 BCE, meaning that Christ was born Before Christ!

Answer 6

Because the 'BC' stands for 'Before Christ' (which should give you some insight into the rationality of our calendar system ☺)

HTH,

Doug

Answer 7

Because it is BEFORE Christ.

334 means the first event happened 334 years before year zero (i.e. -334), and 333 simply means that the second event happened a year later (i.e. -333).

Think about it like in math, with an xy graph from negative to positive infinity through zero.

http://sco.wikipedia.org/wiki/BC

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_century...