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A complete and comprehensive catalogue of ancient and medieval comets, which aims at enabling the reader to understand the appearance of the comet in the sky and to appreciate the considerable influence such events had on cultures. Kronk uses Eastern, Classical and monastic documents to identify and date apparitions and to illustrate attempts by Chinese and Greek astronomers and philosophers to interpret the sky. Dates of important historical events were often tied to appearances of comets and earthly disasters were believed to be mirrored in the heavens, such as the comet that marked Julius Caesar's death. This is an interesting survey which mixes mathematical calculations, general discussions and extracts of sources and will appeal to historians and astronomers alike. This volume begins with the first documented comet which was seen in Babylonia in 674 BC. Future volumes will cover the modern period.