ANACHRONISM

, in Chronology, an error in computation of time, by which an event is placed earlier than it really happened. Such is that of Virgil, who makes Dido to reign at Carthage in the time of Æneas, though, in reality, she did not arrive in Africa till 300 years after the taking of Troy.

An error on the other side, by which a fact is placed later, or lower than it should be, is called a parachronism. But in common use, this distinction, though proper, is not attended to; and the word anachronism is used indifferently for the mistake on both sides.