3. Dates

• 3.1 For the Gregorian calendar we prefer BCE/CE abbreviations.

  3.2 Centuries should be spelled out fully in main prose.

  sixteenth century, eighth-century manuscript, early fifth-century vase

  3.3 Date ranges follow the same rule as page ranges.

  1000–1005, 1005–15, 1950–76

  3.4 For calendar dates we use the US format.

  January 1, 2023

  3.5 Decades are formed by adding a plural -s

  1950s, '870s

  3.6 Abbreviated years may be used if they are clear from context.

  1950s, ‘60s, and '‘70s

  [reverse

   apostrophe]

• CE

  
  

  is implied unless it is used in proximity to a date BCE. BCE is always marked unless all dates in the text are BCE. There is always a space between the number and BCE or CE, BCE and CE always appear after the number, and there are never periods separating the numbers (e.g., 354 BCE–22 CE; 354–12 BCE; 258–508; 1956–1990).