Chariots of the gods, ships in the sky: unidentified aerial phenomena of the past
For thousands of years, people have been talking about unexplained objects shining in the sky. Comets, meteor showers, bolide, auroras, or even earthquake lightning ……. Aerial phenomena that can be easily explained with today’s knowledge were widely reported in the ancient world.
The U.S. Congress is investigating unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs, thought to be UFOs) in response to leaked classified UAP footage and claims by former intelligence officials that the U.S. government possesses “extraterrestrial” technology.
A recent NASA report, on the other hand, concluded that there is no evidence to suggest that UAPs are of extraterrestrial origin.
Ancient writers regarded these phenomena as signs of social unrest or impending disaster. Thus, the modern response to UAPs is similar to that of thousands of years ago. There is a long history of strange celestial bodies being associated with political and military crises.
Ancient Signs of Trouble
In the Bible, the prophet Ezekiel mentions God’s chariot. It glowed like hot metal in the fire, and Ezekiel could see four creatures in it. They resembled humans, but had four faces and four wings.
Vimanas (flying chariots of the gods) also appear in ancient Indian epics such as the Mahabharata and the Ramayana.
In Hindu mythology, the gods are depicted riding these chariots to all corners of the universe.
Of the omen of winter in 218 B.C., the Roman historian Livy describes “the sight of ships shining in the sky.” The Second Punic War had begun, and the enemy general Hannibal was on a winning streak. This “ship” may have been a strange cloud formation, but Livy’s choice of words suggests something “shining” or “sparkling.”
Livy also reports a “great fleet” in the sky as early as 173 BC. In the spring of 217 B.C., when Hannibal was still threatening Rome, Livy stated that he saw “round shields” in the sky over central Italy. Livy does not mention whether these objects were glowing like the “ships” sighted the previous year, but the “shields” recall the appearance of “flying saucers,” a type of UAP that came into the limelight during the height of the Cold War.
Another curious classical UAP is recorded by the Greek writer Plutarch in his life about the Roman general Lucullus, commander of Pontus’ army. Lucullus’ army was about to fight Mithridates VI of Pontus when a strange object appeared between the two armies:
Suddenly, the sky cracked open and a huge fiery object was seen falling between the two armies. It looked like a wine urn and was the color of molten silver. Both armies were startled by the sight and separated.
The object was described as a pithos (a specially shaped container), suggesting something more than a flash. Some interpreted it as a meteor, but Plutarch noted its metallic luster, which is not consistent with this possibility.
Whatever it was, both armies considered it an ominous omen and retreated.
The Roman-Jewish historian Josephus, writing about the war between Roman and Jewish armies, records an aerial battle between UAP forces in AD 65. Before sunset, “chariots” appeared in the sky and “armed battalions were seen galloping through the clouds.”
According to Josephus, many witnesses saw this and believed it foretold the subsequent Roman victory.
From Ancient Revelation to Modern Revelation
In his letter to the Ephesians, St. Paul refers to God’s “shield of faith.” On the other hand, “ships sailing in the sky” was a common theme in medieval Ireland, symbolizing the safety that the “ship” of the church offered to believers.
Reports of anomalous phenomena increased at the turn of the millennium, when Christians feared and anticipated the Day of Judgment foretold in the biblical Book of Revelation. Millennial ufology is a fascinating development of recent Christian predictions about the end of the world in which the Messiah is posing as a space traveler who will return to save us from demonic aliens.
Millions of adults report UAP experiences each year. When interviewed about their experiences, some admit to being religious, while others claim not to be. The point is that ufology is a way to reconcile religion and science, an approach that many find appealing.
We will never know what the objects and lights described by ancient texts were, and whether they were real or the result of psychological stress. At the very least, most of the significant UAPs witnessed in antiquity speak of situations of anxiety and impending change.
The UAPs of the ancient and modern world confirm our need to project our crisis onto objects in the sky.
Ancient peoples did not have doomsday clocks to warn them that the end was near, but they observed the sky carefully and found many warnings in it.
Chariots of the gods, ships in the sky: “How unidentified aerial phenomena left their mark in ancient cultures” by Michael B. Charles et al. originally appeared in The Conversation, It is republished under a Creative Commons license.
Top image: celestial phenomena over Nuremberg in 1561 (UFO enthusiasts describe it as an aerial battle by extraterrestrials; skeptics see it as a sun dog).
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