<P> From Sumerian times, temple priesthoods had attempted to associate current events with certain positions of the planets and stars . This continued to Assyrian times, when Limmu lists were created as a year by year association of events with planetary positions, which, when they have survived to the present day, allow accurate associations of relative with absolute dating for establishing the history of Mesopotamia . </P> <P> The Babylonian astronomers were very adept at mathematics and could predict eclipses and solstices . Scholars thought that everything had some purpose in astronomy . Most of these related to religion and omens . Mesopotamian astronomers worked out a 12 - month calendar based on the cycles of the moon . They divided the year into two seasons: summer and winter . The origins of astronomy as well as astrology date from this time . </P> <P> During the 8th and 7th centuries BC, Babylonian astronomers developed a new approach to astronomy . They began studying philosophy dealing with the ideal nature of the early universe and began employing an internal logic within their predictive planetary systems . This was an important contribution to astronomy and the philosophy of science and some scholars have thus referred to this new approach as the first scientific revolution . This new approach to astronomy was adopted and further developed in Greek and Hellenistic astronomy . </P> <P> In Seleucid and Parthian times, the astronomical reports were thoroughly scientific; how much earlier their advanced knowledge and methods were developed is uncertain . The Babylonian development of methods for predicting the motions of the planets is considered to be a major episode in the history of astronomy . </P>

Where is mesopotamia located on the world map