They are not only spectacular. At some point, they accompanied historical moments. And they twisted destiny. The influence of eclipses on history is undeniable. And here we bring you a few examples.
Eclipses are part of countless cultures, belief systems and mythologies. These cosmic events were associated with gods, transcendental forces and demons. In Western Asia it was seen as a dragon devouring the Sun. In Peru, as a puma.
Herodotus and Columbus
Writing in 430 BC, the Greek historian Herodotus recounted a war between the Lydians and the Medes. They occupied regions of present-day Türkiye. During a battle, “day suddenly turned into night,” Herodotus wrote. “The Medes and the Lydians, when they observed the change, stopped fighting and were eager to reach a peace agreement.” Herodotus must have been describing the solar eclipse of May 28, 585 BC
Xerxes, leader of the Persian army, witnessed an eclipse before invading Greece. His advisors said this meant the destruction of the Greeks. He attacked Athens successfully, but was then defeated.
Christopher Columbus, on one of his last voyages, took advantage of an eclipse. In 1503, he ran his ships aground in Jamaica. Soon, they faced hostile locals. These left them without provisions. But Columbus remembered that an astronomical event was approaching: a lunar eclipse. On March 1, he gathered local community leaders and threatened them. “The God who protects me will punish them… This same night the Moon will change color and lose its light.” And it worked. The fearful locals relented and provided food again.
in physics
The most important eclipse in history occurred at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1919, he confirmed that Albert Einstein was right in his General Theory of Relativity. That made him one of the most famous scientists in the world. Because? Because he allowed scientists to observe that the Sun’s gravitational field bends starlight. It was a key prediction of Einstein’s theory.
The influence of eclipses on history is undeniable. The next total solar eclipse to hit the United States will occur in 2033. It will be visible from Alaska. In 2026, western Iceland will see a total solar eclipse, as will Spain. After that, it will be Australia’s turn, which will enjoy four eclipses between 2028 and 2038.
