Today in the history of astronomy, an eclipse record helps illuminate the timeline of the ancient world.
Nineveh, seen in this artist’s impression, was the most-populated city of ancient Assyria, as well as its capital. Observers in the city made records of a solar eclipse in 763 BCE.
On June 15, 763 BCE, a near-total solar eclipse occurred over northern Assyria and was recorded by observers in Nineveh, the capital city. This event is preserved in the Eponym Canon, a list of historical events made by the Assyrians on clay tablets, following a specialized calendar system. The text notes: “Insurrection in the City of Assur. In the month of Sivan, the Sun was eclipsed.” This account is a crucial part of anchoring the chronology of the ancient Near East; as it is possibly alluded to in the Bible, historians also have used it to improve the chronology of early biblical times, particularly the eras of prophets Jonah and Amos.
