INDICTION

, or Roman Indiction, a kind of <*>poch, or manner of counting time, among the Romans; containing a cycle or revolution of 15 years.

The popes have dated their acts by the year of the Indiction, which was fixed to the 1st of January anno Domini 313, ever since Charlemagne made them sovereign; before that time, they dated them by the years of the Emperors.

At the time of reforming the calendar, the year 1582 was reckoned the 10th year of the Indiction; so that beginning to reckon from hence, and dividing the number of years elapsed between that time and this, by 15, the remainder, with the addition of 10, rejecting 15 if the sum be more, will be the year of the Indiction.

But the Indiction will be easier found thus: Add 3 to the given year of Christ; divide the sum by 15, and the remainder after the division, will be the year of the Indiction: if there be no remainder, the Indiction is 15. In either of these ways, the Indiction for the year 1795 is 13.