The Byzantine calendar was a calendar used by the Eastern Orthodox Church from the year 691 CE to 1728. It was also used by the Byzantine empire from 988 CE to 1453, when the empire fell, and by Russia from 988 CE to 1700. The Byzantine calendar is like the Julian calendar, but the year starts on 1 September instead of 1 January. Year one of the Byzantine calendar is from 1 September, 5509 BCE to 31 August, 5508 BCE.