Mesopotamia which is located in modern day Iraq is seen as one of the birthplaces of civilization. The city of Babylon in this region was a large ancient city and probably the first city in the world to reach a population over 200,000. Due to its size Babylon was a major center for advancements in science and mathematics. While many different groups and peoples laid claim to Babylon over the years they kept great written records. Clay tablets were found in Babylon describing an eclipse that happened in the nearby city of Ugarit, in present day Syria. The eclipse took place on May 3, 1375 BCE.
The Chaldean empire, which briefly ruled Babylon from 626 BCE to 539 BCE, is credited for being the first group in the world to notice the pattern of eclipses known as the Saros cycle. The Saros cycle causes very similar eclipses to be 6585.3 days after one another.
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