Calculation shows that the only springtime lunar eclipses visible in Israel between 17 bc and ad 3 took place on March 23, 5 bc, and March 13, 4 bc. The former was total in the mid-evening, while on the latter occasion about one-third of the Moon was in shadow around 3 am. These two dates are conveniently close to one another, although the latter date is usually preferred by chronologists—implying that Herod died in the spring of 4 bc.
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