fame of the Chaldean astronomer was indeed what chiefly commanded
the admiration of the Greeks, and it was through the results of
astronomical observations that Babylonia transmitted her most
important influences to the Western world. "Our division of time
is of Babylonian origin," says Hornmel;[7] "to Babylonia we owe
the week of seven days, with the names of the planets for the
days of the week, and the division into hours and months." Hence
the almost personal interest which we of to-day must needs feel
in the efforts of the Babylonian star-gazer.

It must not be supposed, however, that the Chaldean astronomer
had made any very extraordinary advances upon the knowledge of
the Egyptian "watchers of the night." After all, it required
patient observation rather than any peculiar genius in the
observer to note in the course of time such broad astronomical
conditions as the regularity of the moon's phases, and the
relation of the lunar periods to the longer periodical
oscillations of the sun. Nor could the curious wanderings of the
planets escape the attention of even a moderately keen observer.
The chief distinction between the Chaldean and Egyptian
astronomers appears to have consisted in the relative importance
they attached to various of the phenomena which they both
observed. The Egyptian, as we have seen, centred his attention
upon the sun. That luminary was the abode of one of his most
important gods. His worship was essentially solar. The
Babylonian, on the other hand, appears to have been peculiarly
impressed with the importance of the moon. He could not, of
course, overlook the attention-compelling fact of the solar year;
but his unit of time was the lunar period of thirty days, and his
year consisted of twelve lunar periods, or 360 days. He was