Seleucid Era Calculator

Convert any Gregorian or Hebrew date to its equivalent year in the Seleucid Era (also known as Anno Græcorum). Enter the Gregorian year, month, and day, or switch to a Hebrew year, and the calculator returns the corresponding Seleucid year (SE) along with the equivalent Julian/BCE-CE year and calendar notes. Useful for historians, numismatists, and scholars working with ancient Near Eastern dates.

Used only when Hebrew calendar is selected above.

Macedonian reckoning was used in Greek contexts; Babylonian in Jewish and astronomical texts.

Results

Seleucid Era Year (SE)

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Gregorian / Julian Equivalent

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Era Notation

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Approximate Hebrew Year (AM)

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Anno Græcorum (AG)

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Results Table

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Seleucid Era?

The Seleucid Era (SE), also known as Anno Græcorum (AG) or 'Year of the Greeks', is an ancient calendar system that begins in 312 BCE. It was established after Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, reconquered Babylon. It became the dominant calendar in the Hellenistic Near East and was widely used in Jewish, Greek, and Babylonian records.

When did the Seleucid Era begin?

The Seleucid Era starts in 312 BCE, though the exact new year depends on the reckoning system used. The Macedonian reckoning places New Year 1 SE in autumn 312 BCE (around October), while the Babylonian reckoning places it in spring 311 BCE (around Nisan/April). This calculator supports both systems.

How do I convert a Gregorian year to a Seleucid year?

For dates after autumn 312 BCE (Macedonian reckoning), add 311 to the CE year to get the approximate SE year. For example, 100 CE ≈ SE 411. For dates before the common era, subtract the BCE year from 312 and add 1. This calculator performs the exact conversion accounting for the month and reckoning system.

How is the Seleucid Era related to the Hebrew calendar?

The Seleucid Era was widely used by Jewish communities in the Near East and appears in the Talmud as 'Minyan Shtarot' (Era of Contracts). The Hebrew year (Anno Mundi) and the Seleucid year overlap by approximately 3449–3450 years: SE 1 corresponds roughly to Hebrew year 3449–3450 AM.

What is the difference between Macedonian and Babylonian reckoning?

The Macedonian reckoning starts the Seleucid year in autumn (around October, aligned with the Macedonian calendar). The Babylonian reckoning starts the year in spring (around Nisan/April). Greek and Syrian sources typically use Macedonian reckoning, while Jewish and Babylonian astronomical texts use the Babylonian reckoning, which can make a given SE year differ by about 6 months depending on the source.

Was the Seleucid Era used on coins?

Yes — Seleucid Era years frequently appear on ancient coins, particularly those minted in Syria, Mesopotamia, and the broader Hellenistic world. Coin collectors and numismatists use SE-to-CE conversion tables to date these coins. Year numerals on coins are typically written in Greek alphabetic notation (e.g., ΑΣ = SE 201).

How long was the Seleucid Era in use?

The Seleucid Era remained in active use for over a millennium. It was the standard dating system across much of the Near East from 312 BCE well into the medieval period. Some Jewish communities continued using it into the 12th–13th centuries CE, and it appears in documents through approximately SE 1500+ (around 1200 CE).

What is Anno Græcorum (AG)?

Anno Græcorum (AG), meaning 'Year of the Greeks' in Latin, is another name for the Seleucid Era. The abbreviations SE (Seleucid Era) and AG (Anno Græcorum) are used interchangeably in historical scholarship. Both refer to the same chronological system starting in 312 BCE.

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