A Canon, an Eclipse, a Carta... and a video by Naughty Tipples

"And on that day, I will make the Sun go down at noon, and darken the Earth in broad daylight."

                                                                                                           the Lord God (Amos 8:9) 

On this day in 763 BC (unbeknownst to them), Assyrian historians record the occurrence of a solar eclipse. This record is later used to fix the chronology of Mesopotamian history.

According to the historical record known as the Eponym Canon, the entry reads "revolt in the citadel - in Siwan the sun had an eclipse." Using the mention of the eclipse and the location from where it was visible, scientists are able to establish the exact date, in our chronology, of the eclipse and many other historical events in Mesopotamian history.

The Historical Inebriant: The Eclipse         http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utKMOr0EHz0

  (video by Naughty Tipples with Michelle)

Ingredients:

• 2 oz Gin
• 4 oz Sloe Gin
• 1 tsp fresh Lemon Juice
• 1/4 oz Grenadine

Mix Gin, Sloe Gin and Lemon Juice into shaker with ice and shake.  Drizzile Grenadine into a chilled Martini glass and strain mixer contents into glass.  Garnish with cherry

To view a translation of the Canon:

http://www.caeno.org/_Eponym/pdf/Millard_Composite.pdf

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On this day in 1215, King John of England would affix his seal (albeit somewhat unwillingly) to the Magna Carta (the great charter). Perhaps one of the most important documents of our time and a precurser to our constitution and the bill of rights, the charter was the result of the abuses of a tyrannical king and of the rebellion of the barons trying to survive under feudal English law. 

After a group of Barons took up arms against the king and captured London in May of 1215, they took King John by surprise at Windsor and he agreed to the signing of the charter which established

• a basic separation of church and state
• a right to due process
• taxation only by Parliament

Unfortunately, the 1215 charter was declared void by Pope Innocent III and civil war broke out that same year. The Magna Carta was reissued many times over the next several years but in a weaker and weaker forms.

"No freeman shall be taken, imprisoned, disseised, outlawed, banished, or in any way destroyed, nor will We proceed against or prosecute him, except by the lawful judgment of his peers and by the law of the land."

"To no one will We sell, to no one will We deny or delay, right or justice."

Magna Carta

As always, have a great and safe weekend, hope to see you all back here on Monday!