The works of ancient Greek playwrights are providing scientific clues for meteorologists.
The history of weather records in the Mediterranean began before the 3rd century BC. Climate researchers are particularly interested in the ancient phenomenon known as the "Halcyon Days." The term "Halcyon Days" refers to sunny days in mid-winter.
In Greek mythology, the goddess Halcyon offended Zeus, who transformed her into a bird that could only lay eggs during the mid-winter period. Out of compassion, Zeus created 14 days of calm and sunny weather each winter to ensure her safe laying of eggs.
Therefore, scientists are attempting to find references from the 43 plays performed at the Theater of Dionysus in Athens between the 5th and 4th centuries BC. These plays mention 7 instances of calm, sunny winter days, indicating that the ancient "Halcyon Days" were quite common. Researchers published their findings in this month’s issue of the journal "Meteorology."
Currently, scientists know that the "Halcyon Days" are caused by a stagnant high-pressure weather system rather than vengeful gods. They can use the weather records from the dramas to study how the climate in the region has evolved.