38 lines
1.5 KiB
Markdown
38 lines
1.5 KiB
Markdown
---
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inclusion: always
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---
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# Temporal Dating Conventions for Ancient History
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## BCE Tag Syntax
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Factbase supports BCE dates in temporal tags. Always use them — never leave BCE dates untagged.
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Supported formats:
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- `@t[=331 BCE]` — exact event (Battle of Gaugamela)
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- `@t[~280 BCE]` — approximate/state (Pharos Lighthouse built)
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- `@t[305 BCE..30 BCE]` — date range (Ptolemaic Egypt)
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- `@t[..612 BCE]` — ended at date (fall of Nineveh)
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- `@t[911 BCE..]` — started, ongoing from that point
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Use `~` prefix for approximate dates common in ancient history. Most pre-classical dates are approximate.
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## Dates as Source Validation
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In ancient history, dates ARE the scholarship. A date like "~2334 BCE" for Sargon of Akkad encodes decades of archaeological and textual debate. Temporal tags serve double duty:
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1. **Factbase temporal tracking** — enabling `as_of` and `during` queries
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2. **Source accountability** — every tagged date must have a footnote citing who established that chronology
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When answering temporal review questions, always:
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- Add the `@t[...]` tag with BCE syntax
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- Confirm the source footnote covers the dating (not just the event)
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- Note if the date is contested (e.g., Egyptian chronology has high/middle/low variants)
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## Ranges vs Exact Dates
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- Reigns, periods, dynasties → use ranges: `@t[336 BCE..323 BCE]`
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- Battles, founding events → use exact: `@t[=331 BCE]`
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- Approximate dates → use tilde: `@t[~2560 BCE]`
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- Unknown dates → use `@t[?]` and note why in the review answer
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