Science, religion, and political omens: the meaning of eclipses in ancient Rome

Two philosophers watching an eclipse, etching by Pierre Brébiette. Metropolitan Museum of Art On August 12, Europe – in particular the Iberian peninsula – will look to the sky to witness a historic solar eclipse. We already know when it will begin, how long it will last, and what part of the sun will be hidden behind the moon. Apps on our phones allow us to calculate the exact moment of greatest darkness, and recommend the best places to see it. But throughout much of human history, eclipses…