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[[File: Etemenanki_Babylon_(3).png|300px|thumbnail|left|Relief of a Neo-Babylonian Ruler in front of the Etemenanki Ziggurat in Babylon: the Piece is Highlighted to Better Show the Details]]__NOTOC__
From about 2,000 BC until the early Hellenistic Period (ca. early third century BC), Babylon was one of the greatest cities in the ancient world. It was marked by political stability and military power under three of the most powerful political dynasties of the ancient Near East: the First Dynasty of Babylon (ca. 1894-1595 BC); the Kassite Dynasty (ca. 1374-1155 BC); and the Neo-Babylonian Dynasty (626-539 BC). These powerful dynasties often conquered their weaker neighbors and traded with the stronger ones, but they also nurtured scientific thought, some of which is still used today while other ideas have been discarded or changed dramatically.
The Babylonians were able to create calendars that were more accurate than those produced by their contemporaries because their calendrical observations were aided by advances in astronomy and math, which helped to iron out potential problems. For instance, the fact that connections between the day, month, and year could not be expressed in whole numbers was rectified by the Babylonians through their observations of the stars and use of math. They created a lunisolar calendar that was very adaptable, adding an extra month if needed to equalize the solar and lunar years. <ref> Soden, p. 171</ref>
The astronomical observations the Babylonians made were later discovered by Jewish and Greek scholars, who used the knowledge to predict eclipses. The second century AD Alexandrian scientist, Ptolemy, and even the sixth century BC Greek philosopher and scientist Thales are believed to have accurately predicted eclipses based on Babylonian celestial observations. <ref> Soden, p. 170</ref> The Greeks truly were impressed with Babylonian astronomy, especially during the Hellenistic Period when the Greek Seleucids controlled Babylon and were able to translate many of the cuneiform Akkadian tablets into Greek. But the Greeks were most interested in a Babylonian science that is not considered so today – astrology.
It is important to remember that all forms of science were used for the king and state in ancient Babylon, which also included astrology. For the Babylonians, astrology consisted of making temporal predictions and decisions based on the movements of the celestial bodies. After observing the planets and stars, Babylonian scientists would suggest to the king such things as when and where to plant crops, when to pursue diplomacy, and when to go to war. Unlike today, astrology was never used for personal decisions, unless it had to do with the king, and was viewed as part of astronomy, not separate from it. <ref> Sachs, A. “Babylonian Horoscopes.” <i>Journal of Cuneiform Studies.</i> 6 (1952) p. 50</ref>
[[Category: Ancient History]] [[Category: Ancient Mesopotamian History]] [[Category: Near East History]] [[Category: History of Science and Technology]] [[Category:Wikis]]
