Romaka Siddhanta

The Romaka Siddhanta (literally "Doctrine of the Romans") is one of the five siddhantas mentioned in Varaha Mihira's Panchasidhantika which is an Indian astronomical treatise. Romaka Siddhanta is based on the astronomical learning of Byzantine Rome.^[1][2] "Siddhanta" literally means "Doctrine" or "Tradition", but there is no such theory in the West.

Content

Yavanajataka ("Natal Astrology of the Yavana (Greek)") is an example of the transmission of Greek and Roman astronomical knowledge (especially the Alexandrian school) to India during the first centuries of our era. Yavanajataka is markedly different from Tetrabiblos of Claudius Ptolemy. It comparable to other Indian texts on natal astrology, and has no discernible connection with Romaka Siddhanta, excepting the name Yavana and Romaka.

Romaka Siddhanta was elaborated in the work of the Indian astronomer Varahamihira who declared that Surya Siddhanta was the best of all five extant siddhantas available to him. It is the only one of all Indian astronomical works which is based on the luni-solar year having completed 35250 synodic lunations in 2850 years. It was considered as one of "The Five Astronomical Canons" in Indian in the 5th century.

See also

• Paulisa Siddhanta
• Indian science and technology
• Indian mathematics
• Hindu astronomy

Notes

1. Sarma, (2000), p. 158
2. McEvilley, (2001), p385

References

• McEvilley, Thomas (November 2001). The Shape of Ancient Thought: Comparative Studies in Greek and Indian Philosophies. Allworth Press. ISBN 978-1-58115-203-6.
• Sarma, Nataraja (2000), "Diffusion of Astronomy in the Ancient World", Endeavour, 24 (2000): 157-164.

External links

• Indian astronomy and Western influences