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{{wikipediainfo|Common Era}}
{{wikipediainfo|Common Era}}
'''BC''' or '''B.C.''' was an initialism ('''''B'''efore '''C'''hrist'') ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Best of Days (short story)|The Best of Days]]'') used to designate an [[Earth]] year's position relative to the epoch known as [[AD]]. Sometimes '''BCE''' was used instead. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Crossing the Rubicon (comic story)|Crossing the Rubicon]]'') The term "BC" thus designated a negative number; 100 BC was ninety-nine years ''before'' 1 BC. Its positive counterpart was AD.
'''BC''' or '''B.C.''' was an initialism ('''''B'''efore '''C'''hrist'') ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Best of Days (short story)|The Best of Days]]'') used to designate an [[Earth]] year's position relative to the epoch known as [[AD]]. Sometimes '''BCE''' was used instead. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[Crossing the Rubicon (comic story)|Crossing the Rubicon]]'') The phrase "before the birth of [[Jesus Christ|Christ]]" could also be used. ([[GAME]]: {{cite source|The Iytean Menace (game)}}) The term "BC" thus designated a negative number; 100 BC was ninety-nine years ''before'' 1 BC. Its positive counterpart was AD.


There was, however, a question as to whether the year 1 BC was followed by the year [[0]] or the year 1 AD. Some people, including the [[human]] chronologist Professor [[Wagg]], clearly believed that 1 BC was followed by 0, allowing him to make the claim that the year [[2000]] was the first year of a new millennium, as did American journalists working for [[television]] station [[KKBE]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Doctor Who (TV story)|Doctor Who]]'') The [[Eighth Doctor]] concurred with this opinion. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Novel of the Film (novelisation)|The Novel of the Film]]'', [[AUDIO]]: ''[[Relative Dimensions (audio story)|Relative Dimensions]]'') However, the [[Sixth Doctor]] ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Millennial Rites (novel)|Millennial Rites]]'') and [[Dave Young]] ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Escape Velocity (novel)|Escape Velocity]]'') both strongly argued that 1 BC was followed by 1 AD, thus making [[2001]] the start of the 3rd millennium.
There was, however, a question as to whether the year 1 BC was followed by the year [[0]] or the year 1 AD. Some people, including the [[human]] chronologist Professor [[Wagg]], clearly believed that 1 BC was followed by 0, allowing him to make the claim that the year [[2000]] was the first year of a new millennium, as did American journalists working for [[television]] station [[KKBE]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Doctor Who (TV story)|Doctor Who]]'') The [[Eighth Doctor]] concurred with this opinion. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Novel of the Film (novelisation)|The Novel of the Film]]'', [[AUDIO]]: ''[[Relative Dimensions (audio story)|Relative Dimensions]]'') However, the [[Sixth Doctor]] ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Millennial Rites (novel)|Millennial Rites]]'') and [[Dave Young]] ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Escape Velocity (novel)|Escape Velocity]]'') both strongly argued that 1 BC was followed by 1 AD, thus making [[2001]] the start of the 3rd millennium.
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* 5000 BC: [[Mondas]] drifted away from its twin planet Earth and the [[solar system]] on a journey to the edge of space. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Tenth Planet (TV story)|The Tenth Planet]]'')
* 5000 BC: [[Mondas]] drifted away from its twin planet Earth and the [[solar system]] on a journey to the edge of space. ([[TV]]: ''[[The Tenth Planet (TV story)|The Tenth Planet]]'')
* Circa 4064 BC: The [[Weave]] ship [[WSS Exalted|WSS ''Exalted'']] crashed to Earth after a battle with the [[Tahnn]]. The [[Glamour]] aboard extended [[Owain (The Glamour Chase)|Owain]]'s lifespan so he could guard the Weave. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Glamour Chase (novel)|The Glamour Chase]]'')
* Circa 4064 BC: The [[Weave]] ship [[WSS Exalted|WSS ''Exalted'']] crashed to Earth after a battle with the [[Tahnn]]. The [[Glamour]] aboard extended [[Owain (The Glamour Chase)|Owain]]'s lifespan so he could guard the Weave. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[The Glamour Chase (novel)|The Glamour Chase]]'')
=== 4th millennium B.C. ===
* Circa 3532 BC: [[Kwundaar]] was banished from [[Traken]] after [[The Source (The Keeper of Traken)|the Source]] was created. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Primeval (audio story)|Primeval]]'')
* Circa 3532 BC: [[Kwundaar]] was banished from [[Traken]] after [[The Source (The Keeper of Traken)|the Source]] was created. ([[AUDIO]]: ''[[Primeval (audio story)|Primeval]]'')
* Circa 3500 BC: [[Sontaran]] Field Major [[Styx (The Gods Walk Among Us)|Styx]] arrived in Egypt, where he was briefly worshipped as the god Sontar before being entombed. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[The Gods Walk Among Us (comic story)|The Gods Walk Among Us]]'')
* Circa 3500 BC: [[Sontaran]] Field Major [[Styx (The Gods Walk Among Us)|Styx]] arrived in Egypt, where he was briefly worshipped as the god Sontar before being entombed. ([[COMIC]]: ''[[The Gods Walk Among Us (comic story)|The Gods Walk Among Us]]'')
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* 3019 BC: Monarch's ship returned to Urbanka from its third visit to Earth. ([[TV]]: ''[[Four to Doomsday (TV story)|Four to Doomsday]]'')
* 3019 BC: Monarch's ship returned to Urbanka from its third visit to Earth. ([[TV]]: ''[[Four to Doomsday (TV story)|Four to Doomsday]]'')
* Circa 3000 BC: According to the Eleventh Doctor, [[Mars]] was the centre of a vast empire during this time while humans were barely out of their caves. The Ice Warrior Grand Marshall [[Skaldak]] was on Earth during this time and somehow wound up frozen in the [[ice]] at the Earth's [[North Pole]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Cold War (TV story)|Cold War]]'')
* Circa 3000 BC: According to the Eleventh Doctor, [[Mars]] was the centre of a vast empire during this time while humans were barely out of their caves. The Ice Warrior Grand Marshall [[Skaldak]] was on Earth during this time and somehow wound up frozen in the [[ice]] at the Earth's [[North Pole]]. ([[TV]]: ''[[Cold War (TV story)|Cold War]]'')
* 3000 BC: A possible date for the first divergence of the Cybermen of Mondas, a group of Cybermen known as [[the Faction]] left Mondas while the [[Mondan]]s remained. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Iceberg (novel)|Iceberg]]'', [[TV]]: ''[[The Tenth Planet (TV story)|The Tenth Planet]]'') The Faction headed for [[Planet 14]], eventually developing into a separate group without connection to the Mondans. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Iceberg (novel)|Iceberg]]'')
* 3000 BC:  
** A possible date for the first divergence of the Cybermen of Mondas, a group of Cybermen known as [[the Faction]] left Mondas while the [[Mondan]]s remained. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Iceberg (novel)|Iceberg]]'', [[TV]]: ''[[The Tenth Planet (TV story)|The Tenth Planet]]'') The Faction headed for [[Planet 14]], eventually developing into a separate group without connection to the Mondans. ([[PROSE]]: ''[[Iceberg (novel)|Iceberg]]'')
** Around this year, an [[Iytean starship]] carrying [[Ned Hines|an Iytean criminal]] crashed on Earth and was buried by the [[Monitor (The Iytean Menace)|Monitor]] crew under what would later become [[London]]. Before a rescue mission could be mounted, the planet [[Iytea]] was wrecked in the [[Anar-Isari wars]]. ([[GAME]]: {{cite source|The Iytean Menace (game)}})


=== 3rd millennium B.C. ===
=== 3rd millennium B.C. ===

Revision as of 13:22, 3 August 2023

BC

BC or B.C. was an initialism (Before Christ) (PROSE: The Best of Days) used to designate an Earth year's position relative to the epoch known as AD. Sometimes BCE was used instead. (COMIC: Crossing the Rubicon) The phrase "before the birth of Christ" could also be used. (GAME: The Iytean Menace [+]Loading...["The Iytean Menace (game)"]) The term "BC" thus designated a negative number; 100 BC was ninety-nine years before 1 BC. Its positive counterpart was AD.

There was, however, a question as to whether the year 1 BC was followed by the year 0 or the year 1 AD. Some people, including the human chronologist Professor Wagg, clearly believed that 1 BC was followed by 0, allowing him to make the claim that the year 2000 was the first year of a new millennium, as did American journalists working for television station KKBE. (TV: Doctor Who) The Eighth Doctor concurred with this opinion. (PROSE: The Novel of the Film, AUDIO: Relative Dimensions) However, the Sixth Doctor (PROSE: Millennial Rites) and Dave Young (PROSE: Escape Velocity) both strongly argued that 1 BC was followed by 1 AD, thus making 2001 the start of the 3rd millennium.

Timeline

Prehistory

Earth around 6 billion years prior to 1974, on a Tuesday. (TV: Hide)

4th millennium B.C.

3rd millennium B.C.

2nd millennium B.C.

10th century B.C.

9th century B.C.

6th century B.C.

5th century B.C.

4th century B.C.

3rd century B.C.

2nd century B.C.

1st century B.C.

Behind the scenes

  • An inherently Christian designation, BC is not generally used in calendars of the traditionally non-Christian world. Consequently, some people use BCE (meaning "Before Common Era") for BC. CE (meaning "Common Era") as a substitute for AD. These largely cosmetic replacements are thought to avoid religious offence. However, Doctor Who fiction has typically remained loyal to the BC/AD convention. Even as late as the RTD and Moffat eras, dialogue and on-screen graphics prefer the Christian convention. (TV: The Fires of Pompeii, The Pandorica Opens, A Good Man Goes to War, The Angels Take Manhattan)
  • In the real world, there is no year zero, so therefore 1 BC is immediately followed by 1 AD. Doctor Who fiction, however, is unclear as to this point.
  • On this wiki, templates and categories, both of which use, or are used in, mathematical formulae, assume the presence of a year zero, since the fiction of the DWU allows it. Hence, we deem that the year 2000 is in the 21st century.
  • In The Doctor Who Role Playing Game, Gallifrey's TL tim scale relates to the BC/AD dating system using the following mathematic formulas
    • When TL is greater than or equal to 70,709: A.D. = TL — 70,708, TL = A.D. + 70,708
    • When TL is less than 70,709: B.C. = 70,709 — TL, TL = 70,709 — B.C.

The Cybermen.The Cybermen (reference book)

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