Visual Aspects of the Transmission of Babylonian Astronomy and its Reception into Greek Astronomy
J. M. STEELE
Brown University, Providence, RI, USA. Email: john_steele@brown.edu
Summary
Evidence for the transmission of Babylonian astronomy into the Greco-Roman world is well attested in the form of observations, numerical parameters and astronomical tables. This paper investigates the reception of Babylonian astronomy in the Greco-Roman world and in particular the transmission, transformation and exploitation of the layout of texts and other visual information. Two examples illustrate this process: the use of Babylonian lunar eclipse records by Greek astronomers and the adaptation of Babylonian methods of eclipse prediction in the Antikythera Mechanism.