Omen

An omen (also called portent) is a phenomenon that people think can foretell the future. It often means that something new is coming. People in ancient history and some today believe that omens are messages from the gods.

Omens can be natural things, like an eclipse, abnormal births of animals, or how a sacrificial lamb behaves. Special people called diviners would try to understand these signs. They might also use special objects, like a clay model of a sheep liver, to talk to their gods when there was trouble. They would hope for a simple answer, like yes or no, good or bad.

The word omen is often used to mean something that might bring worry, just like the word ominous. It comes from the Latin word omen.

Ancient Near East

The oldest records of people believing in signs that could tell the future come from Mesopotamian practices from the first half of the 2nd millennium BC. Kings like Esarhaddon and his son, Ashurbanipal, used these beliefs a lot in the 7th century BC.

People used different ways to understand these signs, like looking at a sheep's liver or studying special liquids. They also watched the stars for guidance. Important advisors would tell the king what the signs meant.

These ideas about signs spread across many places, including Boghazkoi, Ugarit, Megiddo, and Hazor. Letters from Mari show that these beliefs were important not just to kings, but to everyday people too.

Ancient Greece

In ancient times, people believed that signs in nature could show them what might happen in the future. These signs were called omens. In Ancient Greece, special birds like vultures were thought to carry messages from the gods. By watching where the birds flew and listening to their cries, people tried to learn about the future. They also watched for lightning and thunder, believing these were messages from the gods. For example, seeing a vulture on the left side was seen as a warning, while a heron's cry or lightning on the right was a good sign. These beliefs helped people make choices in their daily lives.

Ancient Rome

In ancient Roman religion, special priests called augurs watched birds to learn what the gods wanted. They had rules, like a bird on the left side being a good sign. They also looked at special chickens before big events to decide if it was a good time to continue.

People also watched for strange events, like unusual weather or rare births, thinking these might be messages from the gods. If something bad was predicted, leaders would do special ceremonies to try to calm the gods. Some important people avoided certain signs to stay safe.

Astrology

See also: Eclipse cycle, Metonic cycle, Saros cycle, and Comets

In astrology, events like eclipses, comets, and even the full moon have been seen as signs of important things happening. Many cultures thought these events marked special moments, like births or deaths. For example, in the story of the birth of Jesus from the Gospel of Matthew, wise visitors called the Magi are said to have predicted his birth after seeing a special star called the Star of Bethlehem.