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Created 5941[(?)]13 08 2027 [2011-04-12]
Last edited 5941[(?)]13 20 2027 [2011-04-24]
The Lunar Eclipse
of Dion and
of Alexander the Great
is one and the same...
Abstract:
This article is part of a series of articles written in consequence of
my wish to pursue the eclipses being published courtesy of Bill Thayer on his
website, and which eclipses I have collected and sorted in a Word file and
in an Excel
file format.
Upon close consideration of the historical records of Thucydides and of
Plutarch in conjunction with the astronomical facts as available to me through
NASA’s website and by means of my Starry Night Backyard astronomical software,
I find very good reasons for revising Nicias’ eclipse and Dion’s eclipse so as
to bring those eclipses some thirty years closer to our time than suggested by
conventional wisdom.
Likewise I find no reason for revising the placement of Alexander the
Great’s eclipse of September 20, 331 BCE, which eclipse took place only about
eleven days before the Battle of Gaugamela and the transfer of the Medo-Persian
kingdom to that of the Greek kingdom. In consequence of the above said the
events associated with Nicias and with Dion are also being brought some thirty
years closer to the time of Alexander the Great than heretofore suggested by
conventional wisdom…
I am reminded of Alexander the Great’s realization regarding the one and
only ruler of the entire universe, the Ancient of Days as presented also by the
prophet Daniel:
“Then said he, Knowest thou
wherefore I come unto thee? and now will I return to fight with the prince of
Persia: and when I am gone forth, lo, the prince of Grecia shall come.”
(Daniel
10:20 KJV)
“And when he [Alexander the Great] went up
into the temple, he offered sacrifice to God, according to the high priest's
direction, and magnificently treated both the high priest and the priests. And
when the Book of Daniel was showed him[1] wherein Daniel declared that one of the Greeks should destroy
the empire of the Persians, he supposed that himself was the person intended.
And as he was then glad, he dismissed the multitude for the present; but the
next day he called them to him, and bid them ask what favors they pleased of
him; whereupon the high priest desired that they might enjoy the laws of their
forefathers, and might pay no tribute on the seventh year. He granted all they
desired. And when they entreared him that he would permit the Jews in Babylon
and Media to enjoy their own laws also, he willingly promised to do hereafter
what they desired. And when he said to the multitude, that if any of them would
enlist themselves in his army, on this condition, that they should continue
under the laws of their forefathers, and live according to them, he was willing
to take them with him, many were ready to accompany him in his wars.”
(Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, Vol.
XI:8:5)
Considerations:
Re Dion’s eclipse
23…
4 It was not until later times that the radiant repute of Plato, because
of the life the man led, and because he subjected the compulsions of the
physical world to divine and more sovereign principles, took away the obloquy
of such doctrines as these, and gave their science free course among all men.
At any rate, his friend Dion, although the moon suffered an eclipse at the time when he was about to
set out from Zacynthus on his voyage against Dionysius, was in no
wise disturbed, but put to sea, landed at Syracuse, and drove out the tyrant.[2]
(Plutarch, Parallel Lives, The
Life of Nicias)
24
But after the libations and the customary prayers, the moon was
eclipsed.[3]
25:
6 Thereupon a boisterous wind from the north rushed down upon them, raised
a great sea, and drove the ships away from Sicily, while flashes of lightning
and peals of thunder, now that Arcturus was just
rising,[4]
conspired to pour down from the heavens against storm of furious rain.
(Plutarch, Parallel Lives, The
Life of Dion)
Having previously discovered that
1) Nicias’ lunar eclipse must necessarily correspond to the August 18, 385 BCE
total lunar eclipse, and that 2) Thucydides’ last reference to Gylippus,
chief and ruler of Syracuse at the time of Nicias’ defeat at Syracuse, in his History of
the Peloponnesian War, is found in this passage pertaining to the 20th
year of the Peloponnesian War:
“8:6… [5] And
of these at first they were about to send out ten [galleys,] with Melancridas
for admiral; but afterwards, upon occasion of an earthquake, for Melancridas
they sent Chalcideus, and instead of ten galleys they went about the making
ready of five only in Laconia. So the winter ended,
and nineteenth year of this war written by Thucydides.
8:13.
About the same time came back from Sicily those sixteen galleys of the
Peloponnesians, which, having aided Gylippus in that war, were intercepted by the way about
Leucadia and evil entreated by twenty-seven galleys of Athens, that watched
thereabouts under the command of Hippocles, the son of Menippus, for such
galleys as should return out of Sicily. For all the rest, saving one, avoiding
the Athenians, were arrived in Corinth before.
“8:60:
Thus ended this winter, and the twentieth year of
this war written by Thucydides.”
(Thucydides,
History of the Peloponnesian War.)
Having
also discovered that 3) beginning in the 19th year of the Peloponnesian
War and subsequent to Nicias’ defeat under Gylippus of Syracuse, we find
Tissaphernes, lieutenant to king Darius of Persia (in the 13th year
of his reign) being referenced by Thucydides numerous times in his History of
the Peloponnesian War:
8:5…
[4] But the Chians and Erythraeans, they also desiring to revolt, went not to
Agis, but to the Lacedaemonians in the city; and with them went also an ambassador from Tissaphernes, lieutenant to king Darius in
the low countries of Asia. For Tissaphernes also instigated the
Peloponnesians and promised to pay their fleet. [5] For he had lately begged of
the king the tribute accruing in his own province; for which he was in
arrearage, because he could receive nothing out of any of the Greek cities by
reason of the Athenians. And therefore he thought by weakening the Athenians to
receive his tribute the better, and withal to draw the Lacedaemonians into a
league with the king; and thereby, as the king had commanded, to kill or take
alive Amorges, Pissuthnes' bastard son, who was in rebellion against him about
Caria. The Chians, therefore, and Tissaphernes followed this business jointly.
“8:6… [5] And
of these at first they were about to send out ten [galleys,] with Melancridas
for admiral; but afterwards, upon occasion of an earthquake, for Melancridas
they sent Chalcideus, and instead of ten galleys they went about the making
ready of five only in Laconia. So the winter ended,
and nineteenth year of this war written by Thucydides.
8:57.
Presently after this, the same winter, Tissaphernes went to Caunus with intent both to bring the
Peloponnesians back to Miletus and also (as soon as he should have agreed unto
new articles, such as he could get) to give the fleet their pay, and not to
fall directly out with them for fear lest so many galleys, wanting maintenance,
should either be forced by the Athenians to fight and so be overcome, or,
emptied of men, the business might succeed with the Athenians according to
their own desire without him. Besides, he was afraid lest looking for
maintenance they should make spoil in the continent. [2] In consideration and
foresight of all which things he desired to counterpoise the Grecians. And
sending for the Peloponnesians, he gave them their pay, and now made the third league, as followeth:
8:58.
"In the thirteenth year of the reign of Darius,
Alexippidas being ephor in Lacedaemon, agreement was made in the plain of
Maeander between the Lacedaemonians and their confederates on one part and
Tissaphernes and Hieramenes and the sons of Pharnaces on the other part
concerning the affairs of the king and of the Lacedaemonians and their
confederates.
8:60:
Thus ended this winter, and the twentieth year of
this war written by Thucydides.
(Thucydides,
History of the Peloponnesian War.)
Noticing
also that 4) the subsequent chiefs and rulers of Syracuse, who are never
referenced by Thucydides during the era of Gylippus and Nicias, are Dionysius the
Elder followed by Dionysius the Younger, whose “tyranny” reigned for 48 years
following the end of Gylippus’ reign (whose reign ended no earlier than 385 BCE[5]:)
3
Dionysius the Elder, after assuming the reins of
government,[6] at once married the
daughter of Hermocrates the Syracusan. 2 But she, since the tyranny was not yet securely established, was terribly
and outrageously abused in her person by the seditious Syracusans, and in
consequence put an end to her own life.
28:
4 A hundred of his mercenaries followed Dion as a body-guard, and his
officers led the rest in good order, the Syracusans looking on and welcoming as
it were a sacred religious procession for the return
of liberty and democracy into the city, after an absence of forty-eight years.
(Plutarch, Parallel Lives, The
Life of Dion)
Recognizing lastly that 5) Dion’s lunar
eclipse is referenced in the context of the last of said 48 years of tyranny…
I find that Dion’s lunar eclipse cannot
possibly be placed prior to the 48th year following Nicias’ lunar
eclipse on August 18, 385 BCE and following the end of
Gylippus’ reign in 385 BCE or later. That is, Dion’s lunar eclipse cannot
possibly be placed prior to 337 BCE.
Accordingly, based upon NASA’s Canon of
Lunar Eclipses, I made the following comprehensive list of lunar eclipses
visible from Sicily that may be of potential interest relative to Dion’s lunar
eclipse:
|
Table listing all lunar eclipses visible
from Syracuse between 337 BCE and 294 BCE That is, all the lunar eclipses that
could possibly be considered as being either Dion’s eclipse or Alexander the
Great’s eclipse… |
|||||||||||
|
My initial listing (337 BCE – 310 BCE) of potential lunar
eclipses fitting Dion’s eclipse and/or Alexander the Great’s eclipse |
Beginnings pertaining to each eclipse - For analysis of Plinivs
record of the hours of the eclipse – (Local solar time; per Starry Night
Backyard 3.1.2) |
Legend: |
|||||||||
|
No go |
|||||||||||
|
No go
unless 2nd hour = 19:00-20:00 regardless of sunset time (based on flat horizon) |
|||||||||||
|
Good fit |
|||||||||||
|
At Syracuse, Sicily |
At Gaugamela / Arbela, Persia |
||||||||||
|
Sunset |
Moonrise |
Penumbral shadow |
Umbral Shadow |
Total eclipse |
Sunset |
Moonrise |
Penumbral shadow |
Umbral Shadow |
Total eclipse |
||
|
Feb 3,
-336 total, predawn |
17:24:51 |
17:46:37 |
06:31 – after moonset (07:07:11) |
N/A: After moonset: 07:07:11 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A: After moonset (06:59:45) |
||||
|
Jul 29, -336 partial, Mag. 0.8838, evening |
19:10:40 |
19:04:16 |
Before moonrise – 22:02 |
Before moonrise – 20:45 |
N/A |
19:05:21 |
18:55:51 |
Before moonrise – 23:52 |
19:19 – 22:33 |
N/A |
|
|
Dec 14, -335 Mag. 0.1399, predawn |
Dec 13, 16:46:39 |
Dec 13, 16:11:17 |
01:51 – 06:17 |
03:36-04:35 |
N/A |
Dec 13, 16:44:46 |
Dec 13, 16:04:48 |
03:39 – after moonset (07:13:23) |
05:23 – 06:27 |
N/A |
|
|
May 29, -333 total, predawn |
19:02:25 |
19:45:16 |
May 28, 23:21 – 04:40 |
00:20 – 03:44 |
01:08 – 02:52 |
N/A |
N/A |
01:10 - after moonrise (04:44:04) |
02:09 – after moonrise (04:44:04) |
02:57 – 04:37 |
|
|
May 17, -332 .4627 partial, evening |
18:53:34 |
18:46:45 |
Before moonrise – 21:27 |
Before moonrise – 20:15 |
N/A |
18:48:18 |
18:35:31 |
18:43 – 23:14 |
19:54 – 22:03 |
N/A |
|
|
Mar 28, -330 total, just predawn |
18:13:11 |
N/A |
04:46 – after moonset (05:58:42) |
05:55 – after moonset (05:58:42) |
N/A: after moonset (05:58:42) |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A: After moonset (06:23:43) |
|||
|
Sep 20, -330 total, early evening |
18:00:10 |
Before moonrise – 21:55 |
Before moonrise – 20:58 |
18:50 – 20:00 |
18:03:30 |
17:52:34 |
18:36 – 23:44 |
19:35 – 22:45 |
20:37 – 21:48 |
||
|
Mar 17, -329 total, just predawn |
N/A |
N/A |
05:15 – moonset (06:18:49) |
N/A: after moonset (06:18:49) |
N/A: after moonset (06:18:49) |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A: After moonset (06:12:23) |
|||
|
Jan 24, -327 partial .1680 just predawn |
N/A |
N/A |
05:50 – moonset (07:13:45) |
N/A: after moonset (07:13:45) |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A: After moonset (07:04:11) |
|||
|
Jan 13, -326 midnight centered, total |
17:04:27 |
16:43:23 |
21:00 – 02:13 |
21:59 – 01:14 |
22:53 – 00:20 |
N/A |
N/A |
22:48 – 04:01 |
23:48 – 03:02 |
Jan 14, 00:41 – 02:09 |
|
|
Jun 28, -325, partial .8457, evening |
19:18:18 |
19:12:14 |
Before moonrise – 23:26 |
Before/at
moonrise – 22:15 |
N/A |
19:12:47 |
19:01:02 |
19:52 – 01:14 |
21:06 - 00:03 |
N/A |
|
|
May 8, -323, partial .9306, evening |
18:46:02 |
18:39:05 |
Before moonrise – 22:02 |
Before moonrise – 21:01 |
N/A |
18:41:13 |
18:27:41 |
18:52 – 23:50 |
19:53 – 22:49 |
N/A |
|
|
Nov 1, -323, total, just predawn |
17:08:58 |
17:17:51 |
04:49 - after moonset (06:22:52) |
06:01 – after moonset (06:22:52) |
N/A: After moonset (06:22:52) |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A: After moonset (06:13:38) |
|||
|
Oct 11, -321, partial .1225, early AM |
N/A |
N/A |
02:28 – after moonset (06:09:26) |
04:10 – 05:03 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
04:16 - after moonset (05:59:28) |
05:47 – after moonset (05:59:28) |
N/A |
|
|
Feb 24, -319, total, predawn |
N/A |
N/A |
04:06 - after moonset (06:50:32) |
05:14 - after moonset (06:50:32) |
06:23 – after moonset (06:50:32) |
N/A |
N/A |
05:54 - after moonset (06:43:36) |
N/A: After moonset (06:43:36) |
||
|
Aug 20, -319, total, evening |
18:49:37 |
18:43:23 |
19:07 – 00:49 |
20:19 – 23:41 |
21:19 – 22:38 |
18:43:42 |
18:35:41 |
20:57 – 02:37 |
22:07 – 01:29 |
23:08 – 00:27 |
|
|
Aug 10, -318, after midnight, total |
Aug 9, 19:01:48 |
Aug 9, 18:46:59 |
23:08 – 05:02 (moonset 05:14:32) |
00:25 – 03:45 |
01:47 – 02:14 |
N/A |
N/A |
00:57 - after moonset (05:07:50) |
02:14 – after moonset (05:07:50) |
03:37 – 03:58 |
|
|
Jun 18, -316, partial .3604, early evening |
19:15:21 |
19:14:35 |
Before moonrise – 21:37 |
Before moonrise - 20:15 |
N/A |
19:09:35 |
19:03:42 |
Before moonrise – 23:25 |
20:03 – 21:59 |
N/A |
|
|
Dec 13, -316, evening, total |
16:46:31 |
16:33:15 |
17:28 – 23:23 |
18:40 – 22:12 |
19:42 - 21:10 |
16:44:47 |
16:27:03 |
19:17 – 01:11 |
20:28 – 23:59 |
21:31 – 22:57 |
|
|
Dec 2, -315, late evening, total |
16:46:59 |
16:36:06 |
18:07 – 00:09 |
19:29 – 22:49 |
20:48 – 21:27 |
16:45:08 |
16:30:15 |
19:55 – 01:57 |
21:17 – 00:37 |
22:38 – 23:13 |
|
|
May 29, -314, after midnight, partial .5959 |
19:02:00 |
May 28, 18:33:47 |
00:21 – after moonset (04:51:16) |
01:29 – 03:55 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
02:09 - after moonset (04:45:01) |
03:14 – after moonset (04:45:01) |
N/A |
|
|
Oct 1, -312, total, early AM |
Sep 30, 17:51:26 |
Sep 30, 17:28:47 |
01:22 – after moonset (06:01:34) |
02:22 – 05:31 |
03:25 – 04:29 |
N/A |
N/A |
03:10 - after moonset (05:52:12) |
04:10 - after moonset (05:52:12) |
05:17 – after moonset (05:52:12) |
|
|
Sep 20, -311, total, evening |
18:06:43 |
18:01:48 |
Before moonrise – 22:27 |
18:08 – 21:26 |
19:11-20:29 |
18:02:54 |
17:54:07 |
19:00 – 00:15 |
19:58 – 23:14 |
20:59 – 22:18 |
|
|
Feb 4, -309, partial .1356, early evening |
17:26:17 |
17:27:54 |
Before moonrise - 18:33 |
N/A: Before moonrise |
N/A |
17:23:56 |
17:20:02 |
Before moonrise – 20:22 |
17:39 – 18:42 |
N/A |
|
|
Jan 25, -308, total, predawn |
N/A |
N/A |
05:41 - after moonset (07:14:18) |
06:38 - after moonset (07:14:18) |
N/A: After moonset (07:14:18) |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A: After moonset (07:05:39) |
|||
|
Jul 19, -308, total, late evening |
19:16:08 |
19:05:05 |
19:09 – 01:08 |
20:21 – 23:57 |
21:30 – 22:55 |
19:10:37 |
18:55:16 |
20:57 – 02:56 |
22:10 – 01:44 |
23:14 – 00:43 |
|
|
Jan 13, -307, total, late evening |
17:04:47 |
16:43:16 |
20:35 – 01:51 |
21:40 – 00:46 |
22:51 – 23:37 |
17:02:54 |
16:36:12 |
22:23 – 03:38 |
23:27 – 02:34 |
Jan 14, 00:35 – 01:25 |
|
|
Jul 9, -307, partial .9864, predawn |
N/A |
N/A |
01:09 - after moonset (04:42:07) |
02:22 – after moonset (04:42:07) |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
02:57 - after moonset (04:35:07) |
04:04 - after moonset (04:35:07) |
N/A |
|
|
May 20, -305, partial .7919, predawn |
N/A |
N/A |
00:35 – after moonset (04:56:29) |
01:39 – 04:26 |
N/A |
N/A |
N/A |
02:23 - after moonset (04:51:23) |
03:28 – after moonset (04:51:23) |
N/A |
|
|
Nov 12, -305, total, early evening |
16:58:24 |
16:58:23 |
Before moonrise – 18:52 |
Before moonrise – 17:40 |
N/A: Before moonrise |
16:56:07 |
16:52:30 |
Before moonrise – 20:40 |
Before moonrise – 19:24 |
17:38 – 18:03 |
|
|
May 8, -304, total, early evening |
18:46:26 |
18:47:40 |
Before moonrise – 20:09 |
Before moonrise – 19:09 |
N/A: Before moonrise |
18:41:21 |
18:35:50 |
Before moonrise – 21:57 |
Before moonrise – 20:54 |
Before moonrise – 20:00 |
|
|
Oct 31, -304, total, midnight centered |
17:09:36 |
16:56:40 |
20:45 – 02:14 |
21:50 – 01:09 |
22:47 – 00:15 |
N/A |
N/A |
22:33 – 04:02 |
23:37 – 02:58 |
Nov 1, 00:35 – 02:01 |
|
|
Sep 1, -301, total, predawn |
N/A |
Aug 31, 18:21:31 |
02:45 - after moonset (05:26:03) |
04:00 - after moonset (05:26:03) |
05:04 – after moonset (05:26:03) |
N/A |
N/A |
04:33 – after moonset (05:16:37) |
N/A: After moonset (05:16:37) |
||
|
Feb 25, -300, total, after midnight |
N/A |
N/A |
Feb 24, 22:56 – 04:12 |
00:02 – 03:08 |
01:01 – 02:07 |
N/A |
N/A |
00:44 – 06:00 (sunrise 06:41) |
01:48 – 04:58 |
02:49 – 03:53 |
|
|
Dec 25, -298, total, predawn |
N/A |
N/A |
01:48 – after moonset (07:26:03) |
03:01 – 06:32 |
04:03 – 05:34 |
N/A |
N/A |
03:35 - after moonset (07:16:38) |
04:46 – after moonset (07:16:38) |
05:50 – 07:12 |
|
|
Dec 14, -297, total, predawn |
N/A |
N/A |
02:14 – after moonset (07:11:47) |
03:21 – 05:59 |
04:54 – 05:36 |
N/A |
N/A |
04:01 - after moonset (07:05:30) |
05:09 - after moonset (07:05:30) |
06:49 – after moonset (07:05:30) |
|
|
April 18, -294, partial .9456, evening |
18:29:53 |
18:20:11 |
18:29 – 00:18 |
19:51 – 23:00 |
N/A |
18:26:10 |
18:10:54 |
20:18 – 02:06 |
21:39 – 00:48 |
N/A |
|
|
April 7, -293, total, evening |
18:21:02 |
18:08:45 |
18:53 – 00:58 |
20:08 – 23:44 |
21:11 – 22:45 |
18:16:53 |
18:00 |
20:41 – 02:46 |
21:55 – 01:33 |
23:00 – 00:31 |
|
Conclusion re Plinivs’
record vs. Starry Night software results:
1. Per Plinivs’ record, inside the range of
337 BCE – 294 BCE, I find no possibility of fitting the Battle of Arbela to any
other time than Sep 20, 331 BCE (294 BCE
is 37 years past 331 BCE.) Cf. this
link!
[Note that in the above table I first
excluded all entries not fitting Plinivs’ words pertaining to Arbela, that is
all AM eclipses and all eclipses beginning outside of any possible 2nd
hour of the night. After so doing I considered, using Starry Night Backyard
3.1.2, the appearance of each remaining moonrise / eclipse as to any possible
correspondence to Plinivs’ words re Sicilie, that is, whether the hour of night
began at sunset or possibly even at 06:00 PM regardless of sunset time and as
to whether or not it may have pertained to moonrise or coming out of the
eclipse.]
2. Re the September 20, 331 BCE moonrise at
Sicily: The moon actually rose over the flat horizon in the 1st
hour, but being entirely within the penumbral shadow, and then fully eclipsed
from 18:50, 43 min past sunset and 9° above the flat horizon, she may not have
been visible through the haze at the horizon until the end of the total eclipse
53 minutes into the 2nd hour after sunset (20:00,) at which time she
was 22° 30’ above the horizon. Perhaps this may seem strange at first, but
considering that, as expressed in local solar time, sunset and actual moonrise always
occurs less than 10 min later at Syracuse as compared to Arbela and Gaugamela,
I find myself hard put to place the eclipse, as seen at Arbela, in the same
hour as the moon was seen rising at Sicily. The actual time difference between Gaugamela
and Syracuse, Sicily is 1:52 hours, meaning that, as expressed in local solar
times, the eclipse is always at least 1 hour and 42 minutes more advanced at Gaugamela
than at Syracuse (seeing that the sunset difference between the two places is
less than 10 minutes as expressed in local solar times.) [It follows that if
indeed the moon would have been “arising” in the 2nd hour at Sicily,
then “she arose” at least 1 hour and 42 minutes earlier than that in Arbela (as
expressed in local solar time,) that is, in Arbela she arose in the last hour
of the day or in the first hour of the night, which indeed she did on Sep 20,
331 BCE...] But perhaps this is, as so often, a matter of less than perfect
translation? Perhaps Plinivs’ Latin words were not intended to mean “she arose”
but “she came forth [out of the eclipse?]”
Indeed, upon looking up (Lewis & Short,
A Latin Dictionary) the Latin word of Plinivs, “exoriens,” I do find that this, Plinivs’ words meaning “she came forth
[out of the eclipse]” rather than “she arose,” is indeed almost certain, given 1)
that said Latin word, “exoriens,” is defined as meaning “to come out
or forth, to spring up, to rise,” which confirms
the above results over and above all other possibilities thus far considered!,
and 2) that using the translation “she arose,” the whole point of this
particular chapter of Plinivs is being obscured, even entirely lost, whereas
using a translation such as “she came forth [out of the eclipse]” will
immediately make Plinivs’ point obvious to all!
3. Realizing the necessity of the conclusion
arrived at in item #2
above, and seeing that the moon is not “coming forth out of the eclipse” at
Sicily until after 20:00 PM local solar time (that is, not within the hour
defined as 19:00-20:00,) whereas the 2nd hour after sunset was not over
until a little after 20:07:19,
I find it confirmed that the hours of day or night as reckoned in those
days, were based upon the exact point in time defined by sunrise and sunset.
4. While being thus reminded of important
definitions of time, I recall another important definition, re the beginning of
the Greek calendar year used by the Thebans relative to the winter
solstice:
“Still, the winter solstice was at hand,
and only a few days of the latter part of the last month of the year remained,
and as soon as the first month of the new year began other officials must
succeed them, or those who would not surrender their office must die.”
(Plutarch, Parallel Lives, The
Life of Pelopidas, 24:1)
In
contrast, another calendar, the Achaean calendar, used for “the Achaean
reckoning of time,” is worthy of mentioning also at this point. The beginning
of that year was being defined by means of the rising of the Pleiades, which is
a predawn event on the eastern morning sky occurring annually no earlier than on
the morning of May 10th:
“1 The year of
office of the younger Aratus came to an end at the rising of the Pleiades, such
being then the Achaean reckoning of time.”
(Polybius, The Histories, Book
V:1:1)
However, Plutarch is providing also that a few days
after Dion’s lunar eclipse “Arcturus was just rising,” which is an annual
event, visible upon the north eastern skies just prior to sunrise, that may be
dated to no earlier than about September 13[7] in the Julian calendar:
24
But after the libations and the customary prayers,
the moon was eclipsed.[8]
25:
6 Thereupon a boisterous wind from the north rushed down upon them, raised
a great sea, and drove the ships away from Sicily, while flashes of lightning
and peals of thunder, now that Arcturus was just
rising,[9]
conspired to pour down from the heavens against storm of furious rain.
27:
4 There he halted and sacrificed by the river,
addressing his prayers to the rising sun, and on the instant the
soothsayers declared that the gods promised him victory.
28:
4 A hundred of his mercenaries followed Dion as a body-guard, and his
officers led the rest in good order, the Syracusans looking on and welcoming as
it were a sacred religious procession for the return
of liberty and democracy into the city, after an absence of forty-eight years.
49:
5 But Heracleides, who, in spite of all his efforts, arrived too late with
his ships, put out to sea again, and being without definite plans, fell in with
Gaesylus the Spartan, who insisted that he was sailing from Sparta to take
command of the Sicilians, as Gylippus had formerly
done.[10]
(Plutarch, Parallel Lives, The
Life of Dion)
Accordingly, out of the above list of lunar
eclipses, I can now eliminate all but the following three lunar eclipses:
Sep 20, -330 total, early evening
Starry Night Backyard Syracuse,
Italy horizon: Sep 20, 331 BCE moonrise: 18:00:10; sunset: 18:07:19; penumbral shadow from before
moonrise until 21:56:00; umbral shadow from before moonrise until 20:57:00;
total eclipse from 18:52:00 until 19:58:00
Starry Night Backyard Gaugamela, Iraq horizon: Sep 20,
331 BCE moonrise: 17:52:33; sunset: 18:03:29; penumbral shadow from 18:35:58
until 23:43:23; umbral shadow from 19:34:44 until 22:45:08; total eclipse from
20:36:32 until 21:47:13
Oct 1, -312, total, early AM
Sep 20, -311, total, evening
Although I have not found any specific
dates associated with Plato, Dion’s
friend, and his encounters with Dion or Sicily, I’d like to quote the
passages I did find:
4:3 But
though Dion was even before of a lofty character, magnanimous, and manly, he
advanced still more in these high qualities when, by some divine good fortune, Plato came to Sicily.[11]
8:4 On
this head Plato also afterwards wrote to him,[12] in a tone almost
prophetic, that he should be on his guard against self-will, which was a
"companion of solitude."[13]
52:4 Plato, indeed, wrote to him[14] that the eyes of all the
world were now fixed upon him alone, but Dion himself, as it would seem, kept his
eyes fixed upon one spot in one city, namely, the Academy, and considered that
his spectators and judges there admired neither great exploits nor boldness nor
victories, but watched to see only whether he made a discreet and decorous use
of his good fortune, and showed himself modest in his high estate.
5 Nevertheless, he made it a point not to remit or relax at all the
gravity of his manners or his haughtiness in dealing with the people, although
his situation called for a gracious demeanour, and although Plato, as
I have said,[15] wrote and warned him that
self-will was "a companion of solitude."
(Plutarch, Parallel Lives, The
Life of Dion)
Although I find no direct
reference associating Dion or Dionysius with either Alexander, with any of
Alexander’s four successors, or with Darius, I notice that Dionysius is being
referenced as Greek and that also the Barbarians are being referenced in Plutarch’s
The Life of Dion. I also notice the direct reference of Plutarch to Gylippus as
the apparent predecessor to the Dionysian tyranny. Furthermore, upon searching Bill
Thayer’s website I discover that Gylippus
lost his position at Syracuse closely following upon his victory over Nicias,
and that there seems to have been some sort of joint leadership by the populace
of Syracuse which for some time stood up against various contenders to that
position. Thus I find that Diocles, the lawgiver, was soon killed, that
Hermocrates, the father[16] of Dionysius, was
killed upon being recalled from a voluntary exile, etc.. In the end Dionysius
the Elder was able to win the confidence of the mob and attain his goals of
becoming the tyrant of Syracuse. It seems quite unlikely that said power vacuum,
that is, the mixture between democracy and civil power reached for by Dion (cf.
this
link, this
link, and this
link,) lasted for more than the six year period indicated by the difference
in time between 337
BCE and 331 BCE. That is, an additional nineteen years (cf. above!)
seems quite unlikely considering the situation being described by Plutarch.
However, I do find
one reference, albeit not entirely contemporary, by Plinivs the Younger, that
seems very likely to constitute a direct reference to Dion’s eclipse and
Alexander’s eclipse being one and the same:
“CHAP. LXX.
“Of the unequall rising of the Starres: of the Eclipse, both
where and how it commeth.
“...At what time
as Alexander the Great wan that famous victorie at Arbela, the moone (by
report) was eclipsed at the second houre of the night: but at the very same
time in Sicilie, she arose. The eclipse of the Sunne, which chanced
before the Kalends of Maij, when as Vipsanus and Fonteius were Consuls, (and
that was not many yeeres past) was seene in Campania betweene the 7 and 8
houres of the day: but Corbulo (a generall Commaunder then in Armenia) made
report, that it was seene there betweene the tenth and eleventh houres of the
same day: by reason that the compasse of the globe discovereth and hideth some
things to some, and other to others. But, and if the earth were plaine and
levell, all things should appeare at once to all men; for neither should one
night be longer than another; ne yet should the day of 12 houres appeare even
and equall to any, but to those that are seated in the mids of the earth, which
now in all parts agree and accord together alike.”
(C. Plinivs Secvndvs, The Second Booke of the
Historie of Natvre, Chapter LXX)
“LXXII
“Ideo defectus solis ac lunae vespertinos
orientis incolae non sentiunt nec matutinos ad occasum habitantes, meridianos
vero serius nobis illi. apud Arbilam Magni Alexandri victoria luna defecisse
noctis secunda hora est prodita eademque in Sicilia exoriens.”
(C. Plinivs Secvndvs, Liber
II, Chapter LXXII)
Conclusion:
Given all of the
above specified particulars, and as confirmed also by the last quote from
Plinivs the Younger, I conclude that the September 20, 331 BCE total lunar
eclipse is one and the same as Dion’s eclipse.
Re Alexander’s lunar eclipse at Gaugamela
6 Now,
the great battle against Dareius was not fought at Arbela, as most writers
state, but at Gaugamela.59 7 The word signifies, we are told,
"camel's house," since one of the ancient kings of the country, after
escaping from his enemies on a swift camel, gave the animal a home here,
assigning certain villages and revenues for its maintenance. 8 It so
happened that in the month Boëdromion the moon
suffered an eclipse,[17] about the beginning of
the Mysteries at Athens, and on the eleventh night after the eclipse, the
armies being now in sight of one another, Dareius kept his forces under arms,
and held a review of them by torch-light; 9 but Alexander, while his
Macedonians slept, himself passed the night in front of his tent with his seer
Aristander, celebrating certain mysterious sacred rites and sacrificing to the
god Fear.
(Plutarch, Parallel Lives, The
Life of Alexander, Vol 4:6)
3 Alexander, nevertheless, when he
came to the crossing of the Tigris River, learned of the ford from some of the
local natives, and transferred his army to the east bank. This was accomplished
not only with difficulty but even at substantial risk. 4 The depth of the
water at the ford was above a man's breast and the force of the current swept
away many who were crossing and deprived them of their footing, and as the water
struck their shields, it bore many off their course and brought them into
extreme danger. 5 But Alexander contrived a defence against the violence
of the river. He ordered all to lock arms with each other and to construct a
sort of bridge out of the compact union of their persons. 6 Since the
crossing had been hazardous and the Macedonians had had a narrow escape,
Alexander rested the army that day, and on the following he deployed it and led
it forward toward the enemy, then pitched camp not far from the Persians.[18]
(Diodorus Siculus, The
Library of History of Diodorus Siculus)
I find no reason for questioning the placement of
Alexander the Great’s death, nor the placement in time of his victory over Darius
III at Gaugamela. Indeed, although Josephus seems to indicate that at his,
Josephus’, time there was a controversy among his contemporary historians re
many things of former history and chronology, not so re the timing of
Alexander’s death, for he writes:
"Now, it is agreed by
all, that Alexander died in the hundred and fourteenth olympiad..."
(Flavius
Josephus, Against Apion, Book 1:22)
But, what further arguments can be brought
in favor of thus bringing the
eclipse of Nicias and the eclipse of Alexander some thirty years closer
unto one another than conventional chronology and history have heretofore
allowed for? That is, by totally closing the gap also between Dion’s eclipse
and Alexander’s eclipse by confining both of them to one and the same event?
Let’s begin by taking a closer look upon
Philip and Pausanias, both of whom were kings of Macedonia. To begin with, I
find the two of them being referenced by Thucydides within the 1st year
of the Peloponnesian War, that is, in the year prior to the year of Pericles eclipse on January
18, 402 BCE, that is, in 403 BCE, as follows:
“1:61.
The news of the revolt of these cities was likewise quickly brought to the
Athenian people, who, hearing withal of the forces sent unto them under
Aristeus, sent forth against the places revolted two thousand men of arms and
forty galleys under the conduct of Callias, the son of Calliades. [2] These,
coming first into Macedonia, found there the former thousand, who by this time
had taken Therme and were now besieging the city of Pydna; [3] and staying,
helped for a while to besiege it with the rest. But shortly after they took
composition and, having made a necessary league with Perdiccas (urged thereto
by the affairs of Potidaea, and the arrival there of Aristeus), departed from Macedonia.
[4] Thence coming to Berrhoea, they attempted to take it; but when they could
not do it, they turned back and marched towards Potidaea by land. They were of
their own number three thousand men of arms, besides many of their
confederates, and of Macedonians that had served with Philip and Pausanias, six hundred horsemen. [5]
And their galleys, seventy in number, sailing by them along the coast, by
moderate journeys came in three days to Gigonus and there encamped.
“1:95.
About the same time in the beginning of the same winter, Sitalces an Odrysian,
the son of Teres, king of Thrace, made war upon Perdiccas
the son of Alexander, king of Macedonia, and upon the Chalcideans
bordering on Thrace upon two promises, one of which he required to be performed
to him, and the other he was to perform himself. [2] For Perdiccas had promised
somewhat unto him for reconciling him to the Athenians, who had formerly
oppressed him with war, and for not restoring his
brother Philip to the kingdom, that was his enemy, which he never
paid him. And Sitalces himself had covenanted with the Athenians when he made
league with them that he would end the war which they had against the
Chalcideans of Thrace. [3] For these causes therefore he made this expedition
and took with him both Amyntas
the son of Philip (with purpose to make him king of Macedonia) and also the Athenian ambassadors then with him for
that business and Agnon the Athenian commander. For the Athenians ought also to
have joined with him against the Chalcideans both with a fleet and with as
great land forces as they could provide.
“2:47. Such
was the funeral made this winter, which ending,
ended the first year of this war.”
(Thucydides,
History of the Peloponnesian War.)
Now, Alexander the Great’s father was named
Philip, and he was king of Macedonia. Furthermore, Alexander received his
kingdom from his father Philip upon his father being slain by Pausanias. Is it
too farfetched to consider the above mentioned Pausanias and Philip from the 1st
year of the Peloponnesian Was as being the same Pausanias the slayer of Philip,
and Philip, Alexander’s father?:
9.
While Philip was making an expedition against Byzantium,[19]
Alexander, though only sixteen years of age, was left
behind as regent in Macedonia and keeper of the royal seal, and
during this time he subdued the rebellious Maedi, and after taking their city,
drove out the Barbarians, settled there a mixed population, and named the city
Alexandropolis. 2 He was also present at Chaeroneia and took part in the
battle against the Greeks,[20] and he is said to have
been the first to break the ranks of the Sacred Band of the Thebans.
6693 And even down to our own day there was shown an ancient oak by the
Cephisus, called Alexander's oak, near which at that time he pitched his tent;
and the general sepulchre of the Macedonians is not far away.
(Plutarch, The
Life of Alexander 1:9)
10...
6 And so when Pausanias, who had
been outrageously dealt with at the instance of Attalus and Cleopatra and could
get no justice at Philip's hands, slew Philip,
most of the blame devolved upon Olympias, on the ground that she had added her
exhortations to the young man's anger and incited
him to the deed; but a certain amount of accusation attached itself
to Alexander also. 7 For it is said that when Pausanias, after the outrage
that he had suffered, met Alexander, and bewailed his fate, Alexander recited
to him the iambic verse of the "Medeia":—[21]
"The giver of the bride, the bridegroom, and the
bride."
8 However,
he did seek out the participants in the plot and punished them, and was angry
with Olympias for her savage treatment of Cleopatra during his absence.[22]
(Plutarch, The
Life of Alexander 1:10)
“11.
Thus it was that at the age of twenty years Alexander received the kingdom, which was exposed to great jealousies, dire hatreds, and
dangers on every hand.”
(Plutarch, The
Life of Alexander 1:11)
Let’s consider their respective ages:
Alexander the Great died in June 326 BCE at an age of 28 or 32 years. This
makes the beginning of Alexander’s 12 years of reign begin in 339/338 BCE,
which is 66 year after the beginning of the Peloponnesian War. It follows that
his father Philip and Pausanias would have been at least 80 years old at that
time, which may sound much but certainly not impossible. Nevertheless,
considering the words “the young man's anger and
incited him to the deed,” the slayer may well have been a younger
Pausanias. Cf. this quote:
“After the battle with Porus, too, Bucephalas died,— not at once, but some time
afterwards,— as most writers say, from wounds for which he was under treatment,
but according to Onesicritus, from old age, having
become quite worn out;100 for he was
thirty years old when he died. 2 His
death grieved Alexander mightily, who felt that he had lost nothing less than a
comrade and a friend; he also built a city in his memory on the
banks of the Hydaspes and called it Bucephalia.”
(Plutarch,
The
Life of Alexander 1:61)
And what
about Amyntas who “was well acquainted with the nature of Alexander” and who
felt he had better flee from his homeland? What is more likely than him being
an elder brother of Alexander, perhaps from a prior wife of Philip? Cf. above!:
“Now, there was in the army of Dareius a
certain Macedonian who had fled from his country, Amyntas
by name, and he was well acquainted with the nature of Alexander.
2 This man, when he saw that Dareius was eager to attack Alexander within
the narrow passes of the mountains, begged him to remain where he was, that he
might fight a decisive battle with his vast forces against inferior numbers in
plains that were broad and spacious. 3 And when Dareius replied that he
was afraid the enemy would run away before he could get at them, and Alexander
thus escape him, "Indeed," said Amyntas,
"on this point, O king, thou mayest be without fear; for he will
march against thee, nay, at this very moment, probably, he is on the
march." 4 Dareius would not listen to these words of Amyntas, but broke camp and marched into Cilicia,
and at the same time Alexander marched into Syria against him. 5 But
having missed one another in the night, they both turned back again, Alexander
rejoicing in his good fortune, and eager to meet his enemy in the passes, while
Dareius was as eager to extricate his forces from the passes and regain his
former camping-ground. 6 For he already saw that he had done wrong to
throw himself into places which were rendered unfit for cavalry by sea and
mountains and a river running through the middle (the Pinarus), which were
broken up in many parts, and favoured the small numbers of his enemy.
7 And not only was the place for the battle a gift of Fortune to
Alexander, but p281his generalship was better than the provisions of Fortune
for his victory. 8 For since he was so vastly inferior in numbers to the
Barbarians, he gave them no opportunity to encircle him, but leading his right
wing in person, extended it past the enemy's left, got on their flank, and
routed the Barbarians who were opposed to him fighting among the foremost,
9 so that he got a sword-wound in the thigh. Chares says this wound was
given him by Dareius, with whom he had a hand-to‑hand combat, but
Alexander, in a letter to Antipater about the battle, did not say who it was
that gave him the wound; he wrote that he had been wounded in the thigh with a
dagger, but that no serious harm resulted from the wound.”
(Plutarch, The
Life of Alexander 1:20)
And here is yet another, very direct,
connection between Philip of Macedon and the younger Dionysius:
Long afterwards, during a drinking bout, Philip of
Macedon asked the younger Dionysius how
his father had found time to write poetry. "He used the time,"
answered the son, "which happier men like you and me spend in drinking
together." Holm considers it a sign of his firm character that he lived in
harmony with p186two wives at a time, dining daily with them both together, and
indeed he seems to have lived peacefully with them and with his seven children.
(Francis Marion Crawford, The
Rulers of the South, p. 185-6)
And what about Alexander’s chief opponent,
Darius III, king of Persia? How old was he at the time of the encounter with
Alexander the Great at Gaugamela? Darius’ 13th year of reign
coincided with the 20th year of the Peloponnesian War. It follows
that his 66th year of reign would have coincided with the year of
his encounter with Alexander at Gaugamela. That’s a long reign, but certainly
not impossible, is it?
At the very least we find Darius’ reign
still viable throughout the available record of Thucydides’ as represented in
his History of the Pelopennesian War:
8:87:
[5] But that which hurt them most was the pretence he alleged for not bringing
the fleet in. For he said they were not so many sail as the king had
ordained to be gotten together. But sure he might have ingratiated himself more
in this business by dispatching it with less of the
king's money than by spending more.
[6] But whatsoever was his purpose, Tissaphernes went to Aspendus and was with the Phoenicians; and by
his own appointment the Peloponnesians sent Philip, a Lacedaemonian, with him
with two galleys as to take charge of the fleet.
8:109:
When the winter following this summer shall be ended, the one-and-twentieth year [of this war] shall be complete.
(Thucydides,
History of the Peloponnesian War.)
As to the astronomical details of
Alexander’s lunar eclipse (cf. above!,)
I find no reason for contending the particulars presented re the definition of
“the month Boëdromion” as presented in
Wikipedia (cf. this link!)
Here are some links to the Alexander
Chronicle (BM 36304; BCHP 1; ABC 8; Chronicle 8:)
3. Tablet
“describing the battle of Gaugamela”
4. Description
of the tablet
So far as I can tell, this tablet is not
sharing any astronomical observation besides possible numbering of some months,
and neither am I convinced that it couldn’t equally well be recording most any
year and most any of Alexander’s confrontations with the Persian king. There
were two other battles prior to the decisive battle of Gaugamela: 1) The Battle of the
Granicus River in 334 BCE, and 2) The Battle of Issus in
333 BCE.
Conclusion:
Considering
all of the above particulars, I find confirmation for sustaining the
conventional placement of Alexander’s lunar eclipse and the timing of the
Battle at Gaugamela. That is, while also diminishing the conventional gap
between Nicias’ eclipse and that of Alexander the Great by 28 years.
Accordingly
I find that Alexander the Great’s lunar eclipse occurred on September 20,
331 BCE.
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