Description
Book SynopsisIn Hellenistic Astronomy: The Science in Its Contexts, new essays by renowned scholars address questions about what the ancient science of the heavens was in the ancient Near East and Mediterranean worlds, and the numerous contexts in which it was pursued. Together, these essays will enable readers not only to understand the technical accomplishments of this ancient science but also to appreciate their historical significance by locating the questions, challenges, and issues inspiring them in their political, medical, philosophical, literary, and religious contexts. Winner of the 2020 Choice Outstanding Academic Title Award
Trade Review"This is an absolutely wonderful book, well-written and a pleasure to read. It is generally based on the most recent research and very informative without being inaccessible to the layman. That the field of ancient astronomy is under rapid development is evident from the bibliography alone. [...] It is generously supplied with interesting and relevant illustrations and its structure and composition take the reader by the hand so that it can be read easily from cover to cover. The individual chapters can also be read on their own, and the “Historical Glossary” and indices make it an excellent handbook as well. It provides a status quaestionis in a way which is at the same time accessible to the interested layman and contains a brilliant survey and much new to be learnt for the specialist in any parts of the vast topic covered as well." - Ulla Koch, in: BMCR 2021.04.23 "This is an excellent and eminently useful volume, surveying and advancing the state of the field in a very welcome, cross-cultural and interdisciplinary format. Corners of this field seem to have been developing rather quickly in the last decade or two, and scholars will be grateful to the editors and authors for the timely appearance and impressive scope of this large book." - Daryn Lehoux, in: The Classical Review 71.2 442–444
Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments List of Illustrations and Tables List of Abbreviations 0 Prolegomena to the Study of Hellenistic Astronomy Alan C. Bowen and Francesca Rochberg Part A Technical Requirements 1 The Celestial Sphere Clemency Montelle 2 Methods of Reckoning Time Robert Hannah Chapter 3 Quantitative Tools 3.1 Techniques of Measurement and Computation Mathieu Ossendrijver 3.2 Planar and Spherical Trigonometry Glen Van Brummelen Chapter 4 Theory of the Sun, Moon, and Planets 4.1 Fundamentals of Planetary Theory Nathan Sidoli 4.2 Hypothesis in Greco-Roman Astronomy Alan C. Bowen 4.3 Some Early Hypotheses in Greco-Roman Astronomy Alan C. Bowen 4.4 The Ptolemaic Planetary Hypotheses James C. Evans 4.5 The Hellenistic Theory of Eclipses Clemency Montelle 4.6 Hellenistic Babylonian Planetary Theory Mathieu Ossendrijver 4.7 The Babylonian Contribution to Greco-Roman Astronomy Francesca Rochberg 4.8 Hellenistic Egyptian Planetary Theory Micah T. Ross Part B Observations, Instruments, and Issues Chapter 5 Observational Foundations 5.1 The Observational Foundations of Babylonian Astronomy Lis Brack-Bernsen 5.2 Experience and Observation in Hellenistic Astronomy Richard L. Kremer Chapter 6 Astronomical Instruments 6.1 Hellenistic Surveying Instruments Tracey E. Rihll 6.2 Hellenistic Maps and Lists of Places Klaus Geus 6.3 Star-Lists from the Babylonians to Ptolemy Gerd Graßhoff 6.4 Ptolemy’s Instruments Dennis W. Duke Chapter 7 Thematic Questions 7.1 Issues in Hellenistic Egyptian Astronomical Writings Anthony Spalinger 7.2 The Texts and Aims of Babylonian Astronomy Hermann Hunger 7.3 Issues in Greco-Roman Astronomy of the Hellenistic Period Alan C. Bowen Part C Contexts 8 The Professional ἀϲτρολόγοϲ Wolfgang Hübner Chapter 9 Hellenistic Astronomy in Public Service 9.1 The Sundial and the Calendar Robert Hannah 9.2 The Antikythera Mechanism James C. Evans 9.3 Hellenistic Astronomy in Medicine Dorian Gieseler Greenbaum Chapter 10 Hellenistic Astronomy in Literature 10.1 Aratus and the Popularization of Hellenistic Astronomy Stamatina Mastorakou 10.2 The Authority of the Roman Heavens Alfred Schmid Chapter 11 Hellenistic Astronomy in the Training and Work of Priests 11.1 Hellenistic Astronomy and the Egyptian Priest Alexandra von Lieven 11.2 Hellenistic Astronomy and the Babylonian Scribal Families Mathieu Ossendrijver Chapter 12 Astral Divination and Natal Astrology 12.1 The Hellenistic Horoscope Dorian Gieseler Greenbaum 12.2 Hellenistic Babylonian Astral Divination and Nativities Francesca Rochberg 12.3 Hellenistic Horoscopes in Greek and Latin: Contexts and Uses Stephan Heilen 12.4 Demotic Horoscopes Micah T. Ross Chapter 13 Theological Contexts 13.1 Hellenistic Astronomy in Early Judaic Writings James C. VanderKam 13.2 Astral Divination in the Dead Sea Scrolls Helen R. Jacobus 13.3 Hellenistic Astronomy in Early Christianities Nicola Denzey Lewis 13.4 Cosmology in Mandaean Texts Siam Bhayro 13.5 Astral Discourse in the Philosophical Hermetica (Corpus Hermeticum) Christian Wildberg Chapter 14 Hellenistic Astronomy in the Philosophical Schools 14.1 Astronomy and Divination in Stoic Philosophy Giuseppe Cambiano 14.2 Plotinus on the Motion of the Stars James Wilberding Historical Glossary of Important Terms in Hellenistic Astronomy Bibliography Index of Passages Index of Names Index of Subjects
