Episode 21
Ultima Thule (Episode 6) - Assembly of Time (Parts 3 & 4)
In the last episode we explored how the ancients conceptualized time with the Sun and the Moon as well as how they were deified. In this episode, we explore the four most critical anchors to our year given to us by the interplay between the Sun and the Earth- the solstices and equinoxes. Despite the dizzying movement of celestial bodies through the sky four times a year humans could feel a semblance of order and balance to the Universe. We ritualized these four special days each year and held countless celebrations of them regardless of geography or culture - Midsummer, Saturnalia, Christmas, and even Stonehenge and the Great Pyramids were celebrated and built for these crucial days. Yet, despite our loyal worship and our best science we could not keep precise track of the year for millennia... until one man, virtually unknown to history, came and fixed it for us - Aloysius Lilius. (6/29)
