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I’m not sure if the reference to 6 CE was a misprint for 6 BCE or not, but regardless, it is apparently factual that Herod died in the year we consider to be 4 BCE. This may seem wrong if you consider that Jesus had been born for about two years before that happened. But some Roman priest in the 4th century tasked with counting up years to figure out how long ago Jesus had been born, missed six years.

The most likely time of the birth of Jesus was therefore in the winter that started in 7 BC or BCE as is now used, and ended in 6 BC. That is, if in fact He was born in the winter. Since the early church fused their holiday with the pre-existing Roman Saturnalia, it is entirely possible that Jesus was born in some other part of the year around 7 or 6 B.C. ... and since shepherds would most likely be out in the fields in the early spring to safeguard their newborn lambs, it may have been more likely March or even late February of some year, either 7 or 6 B.C.

I don’t know if that reference to the census is the same one that Joseph and Mary had to attend, or another one years afterwards, but that doesn’t alter this fact, that Jesus was not born in the year the early Roman church thought He was.

Another point of confusion is that some historians then recognize a year they call “zero A.D.” while others go directly from 1 B.C. to 1 A.D. ... when researching dates that are B.C., you have to be aware of whether or not the postulated date is in a zero-A.D. system or the other one.

I believe that the now accepted fact that Herod died in the year 4 B.C. is relative to the non-zero numbering system so it would be 3 B.C. in a zero-relative count. (zero being the 1 B.C. of the count that got to 4 B.C.)