An indiction is any of the years in a 15-year cycle used to date medieval documents. Each year was numbered: first indiction, second indiction, etc. However, the cycles were not numbered, thus other information is needed to identify the specific year.

Indictions originally referred to an agricultural or land tax in late third-century Roman Egypt. These were originally in 5-year cycles beginning in 287, then in a non-cyclic series which reached number 26 by 318. But by 314 the 15-year cycle had appeared. The Chronicon Paschale (c. 630) assigned its first year to 312-313, whereas a Coptic document of 933 assigned its first year to 297-298, one cycle earlier. Both of these were years of the Alexandrian calendar whose first day was Thoth 1 on August 29 in years preceding common Julian years and August 30 in years preceding leap years, hence each straddled two Julian years. (2nd century - 3rd century - 4th century - other centuries) Events The Sassanid dynasty of Persia launches a war to reconquer lost lands in the Roman east. ... Events Diocletian and Maximian become Roman Consuls Births Deaths Categories: 287 ... Events Gregory the Illuminator appoints his son Aristax as successor in the Patriarchate of Armenia. ... Events August 30 - Council of Arles, which confirmed the pronouncement of Donatism as a schism, and passed other canons. ... Events Muhammad captures Mecca (January). ... Events October 28 - Battle of Milvian Bridge: Constantine defeats Maxentius in the fight to become emperor of Rome. ... For other uses, see 313 (disambiguation). ... Christ - Coptic Art Coptic Orthodox Christianity is the indigenous form of Christianity that, according to tradition, the apostle Mark established in Egypt in the middle of the 1st century AD (approximately AD 60). ... Events Jersey was seized by William Longsword, Duke of Normandy . ... Events Narseh of Persia and Diocletian conclude a peace treaty between Persia and Rome. ... Events Constantius Chlorus overthrows the Alamanni in the territory of the Lingones (Langres) and strengthened the Rhine frontier Christians are expelled from the Roman army Baths of Diocletian built in Rome Births Athanasius of Alexandria, bishop and opponent of Arianism Deaths Diophantus, mathematician (approximate date) King Chaekgye of Baekje Categories... The Coptic calendar, also called the Alexandrian Calendar, is used by the Coptic Orthodox Church. ... August 29 is the 241st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (242nd in leap years), with 124 days remaining. ... The Julian calendar was introduced by Julius Caesar in 46 BC, taking force in 45 BC or 709 ab urbe condita. ... August 30 is the 242nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (243rd in leap years), with 123 days remaining. ...

The indiction was first used to date documents unrelated to tax collection in the mid-fourth century. By the late fourth century it was being used to date documents throughout the Mediterranean. In the Eastern Roman Empire outside of Egypt, the first day of its year was September 23, the birthday of Augustus. During the last half of the fifth century, probably 462, this shifted to September 1, where it remained throughout the rest of the Byzantine Empire. But in the western Mediterranean, its first day was September 24 according to Bede, or the following January 1, called the papal indiction. (3rd century - 4th century - 5th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 4th century was that century which lasted from 301 to 400. ... The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea positioned between Europe to the north, Africa to the south and Asia to the east, covering an approximate area of 2. ... Byzantine Empire is the term conventionally used to describe the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered around its capital in Constantinople. ... September 23 is the 266th day of the year (267th in leap years). ... Augustus (plural Augusti) is Latin for majestic or venerable. The greek equivalent is sebastos, or a mere grecization (by changing of the ending) augustos. ... (4th century - 5th century - 6th century - other centuries) Events Rome sacked by Visigoths in 410. ... Events Statue of Zeus, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, destroyed by fire after being moved to Constantinople. ... September 1 is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years). ... The Byzantine Empire is the term conventionally used to describe the Greek-speaking Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centred at its capital in Constantinople. ... September 24 is the 267th day of the year (268th in leap years). ... Depiction of Bede from the Nuremberg Chronicle, 1493 Bede (Latin Beda), also known as Saint Bede or, more commonly, the Venerable Bede (c. ... January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ...

For the historical January 1 to December 31 year following September 1, 23, or 24, add three to the Anno Domini year, then divide by 15. The remainder is the indiction, but if the remainder is zero, then the indiction is 15.Very interesting Anno Domini (Latin: In the year of the Lord), or more completely Anno Domini Nostri Iesu Christi (in the year of our Lord Jesus Christ), commonly abbreviated AD or A.D., is the designation used to number years in the dominant Christian Era in the world today. ...