NATS 1745 Lecture Notes - Lecture 3: Enuma Anu Enlil, Arithmetic Function, Mesopotamia

• School: York University
• Department: Natural Science
• Course: NATS 1745
• Professor: Robin Kingsburg

Document Summary

Mesopotamia: between 2 rivers: euphrates, tigris, civilization flourished, rule ended when area conquered by alexander the great (3213ce, ancient mesopotamia (4000-250bce, eras: Mesopotamia) script within 1000 years: only educated can read, cuneiform number system: mathematics based on 60 base system, left in our time measurement (1 hour): hours, minutes, seconds, angular measurements (degrees, developed mathematics. Lecture: egypt a(cid:374)d mesopota(cid:373)ia (cid:894)(cid:272)(cid:374)t"d(cid:895: scribes, trained/religious, intellectual elite, maintained continuity of intellectual knowledge through wars/revolutions, heavenly events guide events on earth, birthplace of predictive astrology. Pdf: why: alexander the great conquered mesopotamia, created tradition of mathematical astronomy, assigned 12 signs of zodiac, perfected lunar solar calendar, accurately measured planetary periods, predicted eclipses. They were able to use the data of centuries recorded observations of planets, stars, moon, sun alongside to the accurate positions/timings in addition to mathematics. The corners poi(cid:374)ted to (cid:272)ardi(cid:374)al dire(cid:272)tio(cid:374)s, though it (cid:449)as(cid:374)"t sure that it i(cid:374)itially (cid:449)as used for astro(cid:374)o(cid:373)i(cid:272)al o(cid:271)ser(cid:448)atio(cid:374)s.