Another translation from the Coptic by Anthony Alcock, this time of a medieval saint who emulated Job. Here it is:
A little after our time-frame, but always good to make literature accessible online!
Roger Pearse
Thoughts on Antiquity, Patristics, putting things online, information access, and more
Was giving a specific year in the form of a number of years from the beginning of Diocletian’s reign common?
Very, and used in Syriac into the 20th century.
This is actually the way the Coptic calendar measures its “year” until today. The Coptic Church reset its calendar around the time of the martyrs under Emperor Diocletian, which was popularized by the Church of Alexandria after the killing of Pope Peter of Alexandria, dubbed the “seal of the martyrs”, “Ieromartyros”, the most famous victim of Diocletian, venerated greatly by the universal Church. Right now it is “1731 A.M.”, which are Latin initials Copts have adopted to write their years for the Western world, standing for “anno martyri”, the year of the martyrs. September 11 (12 on leap years) is the Coptic New Year, and that’s when we celebrate 1732 A.M.
Example:
https://suscopts.org/coptic-orthodox/fasts-and-feasts/
Thank you – this I had not known. How fascinating that the era is still in use!