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A unique astronomical heritage place: the 28 May 585 BCE solar eclipse

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2011

Mehmet Emin Özel
Mehmet Emin Özel*
Affiliation:
Office of Astronomy and Space Studies, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Çağ University, 33800 Yenice/Tarsus/Mersin, Turkey email: me_ozel@hotmail.com
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Abstract

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Probably the only reliably recorded solar eclipse event during a day-time war is the 28 May 585 BCE event, famous also for several other reasons. It has a credible written record, mentioned by the ancient historian Heredotus and his History notes that the eclipse was predicted by Thales of Miletos (the Ionian capital city in Western Anatolia). The location of the war between Lydians and the Medes is now firmly located as the plain in front of ancient city of Pteria, the Anatolian capital of the Medes. The historical record mentions that the war stopped and a peace treaty was signed, with the wedding of a prince and a princess from rival kings. All these features make the event and place an excellent candidate for a World Astronomical Heritage site to be preserved.

Keywords

EclipsesThalesheritage

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