Tristan Hughes

This was Dilibat, the Sumerian name for Venus, the shining planet strongly associated with the goddess Ishtar. Balasi was in awe of Venus and the rest of this great divine world above, but he was also annoyed that Only recently, another scholar had mistakenly identified Venus as Mercury. How this scholar could have made such an error was beyond ballassy.

This was Dilibat, the Sumerian name for Venus, the shining planet strongly associated with the goddess Ishtar. Balasi was in awe of Venus and the rest of this great divine world above, but he was also annoyed that Only recently, another scholar had mistakenly identified Venus as Mercury. How this scholar could have made such an error was beyond ballassy.

The planets looked completely different to the naked eye. Whereas Venus was the brightest object in the sky after the moon, Mercury was a minuscule dot almost impossible to find if you didn't know where to look. Worst of all, this astronomer had then proceeded to misinterpret this celestial omen from the gods and sent the wrong prediction to the king. The moron.

The planets looked completely different to the naked eye. Whereas Venus was the brightest object in the sky after the moon, Mercury was a minuscule dot almost impossible to find if you didn't know where to look. Worst of all, this astronomer had then proceeded to misinterpret this celestial omen from the gods and sent the wrong prediction to the king. The moron.

The planets looked completely different to the naked eye. Whereas Venus was the brightest object in the sky after the moon, Mercury was a minuscule dot almost impossible to find if you didn't know where to look. Worst of all, this astronomer had then proceeded to misinterpret this celestial omen from the gods and sent the wrong prediction to the king. The moron.

Such an error had to be punished and corrected. And so, Balassi had written to the king. Imprinting his message on a clay tablet, it was the ancient Mesopotamian equivalent of a brutal peer review. He slated his colleague for not knowing the cycles or revolutions of Venus. He labelled him an ignoramus.

Such an error had to be punished and corrected. And so, Balassi had written to the king. Imprinting his message on a clay tablet, it was the ancient Mesopotamian equivalent of a brutal peer review. He slated his colleague for not knowing the cycles or revolutions of Venus. He labelled him an ignoramus.

Such an error had to be punished and corrected. And so, Balassi had written to the king. Imprinting his message on a clay tablet, it was the ancient Mesopotamian equivalent of a brutal peer review. He slated his colleague for not knowing the cycles or revolutions of Venus. He labelled him an ignoramus.

Unfortunately for this unnamed Assyrian astronomer, the tablet has survived and will forever be his legacy. It's the Ancients on History Hit. I'm Tristan Hughes, your host. Today we're exploring the fascinating story of astronomy in ancient Mesopotamia and how this scientific field evolved over more than a thousand years. Early on, astronomy was linked primarily to omens.

Unfortunately for this unnamed Assyrian astronomer, the tablet has survived and will forever be his legacy. It's the Ancients on History Hit. I'm Tristan Hughes, your host. Today we're exploring the fascinating story of astronomy in ancient Mesopotamia and how this scientific field evolved over more than a thousand years. Early on, astronomy was linked primarily to omens.

Unfortunately for this unnamed Assyrian astronomer, the tablet has survived and will forever be his legacy. It's the Ancients on History Hit. I'm Tristan Hughes, your host. Today we're exploring the fascinating story of astronomy in ancient Mesopotamia and how this scientific field evolved over more than a thousand years. Early on, astronomy was linked primarily to omens.

Comets, eclipses, stars and planets were interpreted as signs left in the night sky by the gods to be deciphered by skilled astronomers who would then predict what this meant would happen on Earth. But over time, these observations were no longer just used to predict events on Earth, but also to predict future astronomical phenomena.

Comets, eclipses, stars and planets were interpreted as signs left in the night sky by the gods to be deciphered by skilled astronomers who would then predict what this meant would happen on Earth. But over time, these observations were no longer just used to predict events on Earth, but also to predict future astronomical phenomena.

Comets, eclipses, stars and planets were interpreted as signs left in the night sky by the gods to be deciphered by skilled astronomers who would then predict what this meant would happen on Earth. But over time, these observations were no longer just used to predict events on Earth, but also to predict future astronomical phenomena.

When the next eclipse would take place, the movements of the planets, and so on. A much more mathematical form of astronomy. To explain all of this much better than I ever could, I was delighted to interview Dr. Moody Al Rashid, an Assyriologist and Assistant Fellow at Wolfson College, Oxford.

When the next eclipse would take place, the movements of the planets, and so on. A much more mathematical form of astronomy. To explain all of this much better than I ever could, I was delighted to interview Dr. Moody Al Rashid, an Assyriologist and Assistant Fellow at Wolfson College, Oxford.

When the next eclipse would take place, the movements of the planets, and so on. A much more mathematical form of astronomy. To explain all of this much better than I ever could, I was delighted to interview Dr. Moody Al Rashid, an Assyriologist and Assistant Fellow at Wolfson College, Oxford.

Moody is an expert on ancient Mesopotamian medicine, technology, science and astronomy, and is a fantastic speaker. From omen handbooks to the origins of the zodiac in Babylonia, it was a privilege to delve into the world of Mesopotamian astronomy with Moody, and I hope you enjoy. Moody, it is a pleasure to have you on the podcast today.

Moody is an expert on ancient Mesopotamian medicine, technology, science and astronomy, and is a fantastic speaker. From omen handbooks to the origins of the zodiac in Babylonia, it was a privilege to delve into the world of Mesopotamian astronomy with Moody, and I hope you enjoy. Moody, it is a pleasure to have you on the podcast today.

Moody is an expert on ancient Mesopotamian medicine, technology, science and astronomy, and is a fantastic speaker. From omen handbooks to the origins of the zodiac in Babylonia, it was a privilege to delve into the world of Mesopotamian astronomy with Moody, and I hope you enjoy. Moody, it is a pleasure to have you on the podcast today.