Dr. Moudhy Al-Rashid

understand science in the ancient world, but is the way that the omens were applied involved a lot of empirical observation. So moving into the first millennium BCE with the rise of Assyria, which was the largest empire the world had ever known up to that point, covering from

understand science in the ancient world, but is the way that the omens were applied involved a lot of empirical observation. So moving into the first millennium BCE with the rise of Assyria, which was the largest empire the world had ever known up to that point, covering from

Persia or Iran in the east all the way to what is now Cyprus, and then in the south, Egypt all the way up north through Anatolia. It was a humongous empire run at its height by someone called King Ashurbanipal, who's an interesting figure in his own right.

Persia or Iran in the east all the way to what is now Cyprus, and then in the south, Egypt all the way up north through Anatolia. It was a humongous empire run at its height by someone called King Ashurbanipal, who's an interesting figure in his own right.

Persia or Iran in the east all the way to what is now Cyprus, and then in the south, Egypt all the way up north through Anatolia. It was a humongous empire run at its height by someone called King Ashurbanipal, who's an interesting figure in his own right.

But even the kings that came before him and Ashurbanipal himself, they relied on their court astronomers to take nightly observations of the sky and then interpret those with respect to these kind of textbooks of omens and then make predictions about what the king should or shouldn't do or whether he should lay low or everything was fine.

But even the kings that came before him and Ashurbanipal himself, they relied on their court astronomers to take nightly observations of the sky and then interpret those with respect to these kind of textbooks of omens and then make predictions about what the king should or shouldn't do or whether he should lay low or everything was fine.

But even the kings that came before him and Ashurbanipal himself, they relied on their court astronomers to take nightly observations of the sky and then interpret those with respect to these kind of textbooks of omens and then make predictions about what the king should or shouldn't do or whether he should lay low or everything was fine.

But as a result of making all these observations every night, they then started to be able to predict other astronomical phenomena. So there are these little leaps along the way. There's an astronomer called Rachel, who I think he's working under Esarhaddon and Ashurbanipal. I hope that's right, but he's working sometime in the 8th or 7th centuries BCE.

But as a result of making all these observations every night, they then started to be able to predict other astronomical phenomena. So there are these little leaps along the way. There's an astronomer called Rachel, who I think he's working under Esarhaddon and Ashurbanipal. I hope that's right, but he's working sometime in the 8th or 7th centuries BCE.

But as a result of making all these observations every night, they then started to be able to predict other astronomical phenomena. So there are these little leaps along the way. There's an astronomer called Rachel, who I think he's working under Esarhaddon and Ashurbanipal. I hope that's right, but he's working sometime in the 8th or 7th centuries BCE.

And he starts to make predictions about, listen, there's going to be an eclipse on the 14th. So you're fine until then, but we'll figure it out when that happens. Or Mars will pass through Scorpio. When that happens, you should be okay. But until then, I would lay low because it's not a good omen for Mars to be in Scorpio, that sort of thing.

And he starts to make predictions about, listen, there's going to be an eclipse on the 14th. So you're fine until then, but we'll figure it out when that happens. Or Mars will pass through Scorpio. When that happens, you should be okay. But until then, I would lay low because it's not a good omen for Mars to be in Scorpio, that sort of thing.

And he starts to make predictions about, listen, there's going to be an eclipse on the 14th. So you're fine until then, but we'll figure it out when that happens. Or Mars will pass through Scorpio. When that happens, you should be okay. But until then, I would lay low because it's not a good omen for Mars to be in Scorpio, that sort of thing.

So you start to see predictions about other astronomical events, which is kind of impossible not to happen at some point if you're making so many observations every single night. of the skies and the patterns of planetary motion and of eclipse appearances.

So you start to see predictions about other astronomical events, which is kind of impossible not to happen at some point if you're making so many observations every single night. of the skies and the patterns of planetary motion and of eclipse appearances.

So you start to see predictions about other astronomical events, which is kind of impossible not to happen at some point if you're making so many observations every single night. of the skies and the patterns of planetary motion and of eclipse appearances.

That's a great question, because I think, first of all, it forces us to imagine what the sky would have looked like without light pollution, which must have been unbelievable. I grew up in Saudi Arabia, and when I was a kid, we used to go out to the desert on the weekends, and sometimes we'd sleep in the desert.

That's a great question, because I think, first of all, it forces us to imagine what the sky would have looked like without light pollution, which must have been unbelievable. I grew up in Saudi Arabia, and when I was a kid, we used to go out to the desert on the weekends, and sometimes we'd sleep in the desert.

That's a great question, because I think, first of all, it forces us to imagine what the sky would have looked like without light pollution, which must have been unbelievable. I grew up in Saudi Arabia, and when I was a kid, we used to go out to the desert on the weekends, and sometimes we'd sleep in the desert.