In the context of the Roman calendar, BC stands for ‘Before Christ’ and is used to denote the years prior to the traditionally recognized year of the birth of Jesus Christ. Similarly, AD stands for ‘Anno Domini,’ which is Latin for ‘in the year of our Lord,’ and it marks the years that follow the birth of Christ.
The usage of BC and AD helps in organizing historical events in relation to the life of Jesus, which has been a significant point of reference in Western civilization. For instance, the year 500 BC indicates a time 500 years before the birth of Christ, while AD 500 refers to a period 500 years after his birth.
It’s important to note that the terms BCE (Before Common Era) and CE (Common Era) are sometimes used as secular alternatives to BC and AD. BCE corresponds to BC, while CE corresponds to AD, providing a more neutral way to refer to the same time periods without religious connotations.