The history of ancient astronomy: problems and methods. (English) Zbl 0061.00302
Publ. Astron. Soc. Pacific 58, 17-43 (1946); 58, 104-142 (1946).
Originally published in J. Near East. Stud. 4, 1–38 (1945; Zbl 0060.00309). Republication made it is possible to add a new section on Jewish astronomy and to amplify the bibliography.
Outline: I. Introduction: 1. Scope and character of the paper. 2. Definition of “Astronomy”. 3. Character of Ancient Astronomy.
II. Egypt: 4. Egyptian mathematics. 5. Egyptian astronomical documents. 6. Description of Egyptian astronomy.
III. Mesopotamia: 7. The sources of Babylonian astronomy. 9. Mathematical Astronomy in the Seleucid period. 9. Babylonian mathematics. 10. Earlier developments of Babylonian astronomy. 11. Babylonian astrology. 11a. Jewish Babylonian astronomy..
IV. The Hellenistic period: 12. Greek spherical astronomy. 13. Mathematical geography. 14. Astrology. Greek mathematics. 16. From Hipparchus to Ptolemy. 17. Relations to Mesopotamia.
V. Special problems: 18. Social background. 19. Metrology. 20. History of constellations. 21. Chronology. 22. Hindu astronomy. 23. Methodology of the history of astronomy.
Bibliography and abbreviations.
[Problems and methods in Babylonian mathematical astronomy – Henry Norris Russell Lecture, 1967. Astron. J. 72, No. 8, 964–972 (1967; doi:10.1086/110371)].
Outline: I. Introduction: 1. Scope and character of the paper. 2. Definition of “Astronomy”. 3. Character of Ancient Astronomy.
II. Egypt: 4. Egyptian mathematics. 5. Egyptian astronomical documents. 6. Description of Egyptian astronomy.
III. Mesopotamia: 7. The sources of Babylonian astronomy. 9. Mathematical Astronomy in the Seleucid period. 9. Babylonian mathematics. 10. Earlier developments of Babylonian astronomy. 11. Babylonian astrology. 11a. Jewish Babylonian astronomy..
IV. The Hellenistic period: 12. Greek spherical astronomy. 13. Mathematical geography. 14. Astrology. Greek mathematics. 16. From Hipparchus to Ptolemy. 17. Relations to Mesopotamia.
V. Special problems: 18. Social background. 19. Metrology. 20. History of constellations. 21. Chronology. 22. Hindu astronomy. 23. Methodology of the history of astronomy.
Bibliography and abbreviations.
[Problems and methods in Babylonian mathematical astronomy – Henry Norris Russell Lecture, 1967. Astron. J. 72, No. 8, 964–972 (1967; doi:10.1086/110371)].
MSC:
| 01A05 | General histories, source books |
| 01A16 | History of Egyptian mathematics |
| 01A17 | History of Babylonian mathematics |
| 01A20 | History of Greek and Roman mathematics |
| 85-03 | History of astronomy and astrophysics |
