| |
 |
| Paper: |
The Discovery of the Regular Movements of Celestial Bodies and the Development of Monotheism in the Ancient Near East |
| Volume: |
441, The Inspiration of Astronomical Phenomena VI |
| Page: |
353 |
| Authors: |
Lanfranchi, G. B. |
| Abstract: |
For Ancient Mesopotamians, astronomical phenomena were signs
signifying the gods' judgment on human behaviour. Mesopotamian
scholars studied celestial phenomena for understanding the gods' will,
and strongly developed astrology. From the 8th to the 6th century BC Assyrian and Babylonian astronomers achieved the
ability to predict solar and lunar eclipses, and the planets'
movements through mathematical calculations. Predictability of astral
phenomena solicited the awareness that they are all regular, and that
the universe is governed by an eternal, immutable order fixed at its
very beginning. This finally favoured the idea that the cosmic order
depended on the will of one god only, displacing polytheism in favour
of monotheism; and astrology lost its religious importance as a mean
to know the divine will. |
|
|
|
|
|
