Chronica sancti Pantaleonis in the context of "Paulus Orosius"

Ab urbe condita (Latin: [ab ˈʊrbɛ ˈkɔndɪtaː]; 'from the founding of the City'), or anno urbis conditae (Latin: [ˈannoː ˈʊrbɪs ˈkɔndɪtae̯]; 'in the year since the city's founding'), abbreviated as AUC or AVC, expresses a date in years since 753 BC, the traditional founding of Rome. It is an expression used in antiquity and by classical historians to refer to a given year in Ancient Rome. In reference to the traditional year of the foundation of Rome, the year 1 BC would be written AUC 753, whereas AD 1 would be AUC 754. The foundation of the Roman Empire in 27 BC would be AUC 727. The current year AD 2025 would be AUC 2778.

Usage of the term was more common during the Renaissance, when editors sometimes added AUC to Roman manuscripts they published, giving the false impression that the convention was commonly used in antiquity. In reality, the dominant method of identifying years in Roman times was to name the two consuls who held office that year. In late antiquity, regnal years were also in use, as in Roman Egypt during the Diocletian era after AD 293, and in the Byzantine Empire from AD 537, following a decree by Justinian.

The Chronica regia Coloniensis ("Royal Chronicle of Cologne", German: Kölner Königschronik), also called the Annales Colonienses maximi, is an anonymous medieval Latin chronicle that covers the years 576 to 1202. The original chronicle only went up to 1197, but a continuator later added the following few years' events. Further continuators in the 13th century extended it down to 1249. According to the historian Manfred Groten, the Chronica was probably first compiled about 1177 in Michaelsberg Abbey, Siegburg, and then continued in Cologne. The earliest manuscript only contains an account down to 1175.

The chronicle is called "royal" because it is a history of the Roman emperors, Frankish kings, Byzantine emperors and German kings and emperors. It probably began with Augustus, but the beginning of the chronicle is lost. Up to 1106 the Chronica depends on the works of Frutolf von Michelsberg and Ekkehard of Aura, and then on until 1144 on the now lost Annales Patherbrunnenses. After that it is an independent source. The author of the Chronica sancti Pantaleonis made use of the royal chronicle to cover the years down to 1199, and the historian Georg Waitz treated the former as a mere continuation of the latter and edited them together.

Liudolf (c. 805/820 – 11/12 March 866) was a Carolingian office bearer and count in the Duchy of Saxony from about 844 until his death in 866. The ruling Liudolfing house, also known as the Ottonian dynasty, is named after him; he is its oldest verified member.

Frederick I (1145–1167) was duke of Swabia, succeeding his cousin Frederick Barbarossa in 1152.

He was the son of King Conrad III of Germany and his second wife Gertrude von Sulzbach and thus the direct heir of the crown, had there been true heredity. However, on his death bed, Conrad III allegedly advised the only two persons present, his nephew Frederick Barbarossa and the bishop of Bamberg, to nominate Frederick Barbarossa; and handed the Imperial insignia to him.