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The
most famous eclipse of ancient times ended a five-year war between the
Lydians and the Medes. These two Middle Eastern armies were locked in
battle when "the day was turned into night." The sight of this total
solar eclipse (the date is fixed as May 28, 585 B.C.) was startling
enough to cause both nations to stop fighting at once. They agreed to
a peace treaty and cemented the bond with a double marriage. The eclipse
was predicted by Thales, the celebrated Greek astronomer and philosopher,
but the prediction was probably not known to the warring nations.
(Material adapted from ECLIPSE by Bryan Brewer) |
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