Babylonian Tablets Reveal How Kings Read Divine Inspiration

BAGHDAD – This latest discovery provides fascinating insights into how Ancient Babylonians understand and respond to celestial phenomena such as lunar eclipses.

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These newly translated clay tablets by archaeologists Andrew George and Junko Taniguchi show that they had a highly complex and structured system for predicting important events based on astronomical observations.

As reported by Scient Alert, in Babylonian culture, divination and astrology were not only spiritual aspects, but also functioned as crucial political and social tools.

They believed that events in the sky had a direct impact on the fate of kingdoms and individuals. For example, the prophecy that “when the Moon fully enters the Earth’s shadow, a king will die” shows how important celestial phenomena were for predicting the future and political stability.

The king’s advisers, trained in astrology, monitored and analyzed the various celestial signs to protect and advise their rulers.

If predictions indicated a threat or calamity, actions such as animal sacrifice or special rituals were performed to mitigate the adverse effects and regulate the king’s behavior in line with the will of the gods.

With 61 signs of lunar eclipses listed on these tablets, it can be seen that Babylonian astrologers had a deep and systematic understanding of astronomical phenomena, as well as how they could affect life on earth.

These tablets also show how seriously they took predicting and preparing for events based on celestial observations, reflecting the close relationship between science, religion, and politics in ancient times.

(wbs)