A Concise History of Astrology

A Concise History of Astrology by Kelly Surtees Editor’s Note: A version of this article sky at the precise time you were born, enly body linked to light and dark. The first appeared in the Australian publica- looking up from the place on Earth Moon was used to mark out short cycles tion, WellBeing Magazine, April 2007. where you arrived. Countries, kingships, of time. Through these simple obser diseases, and business ventures all have vations, the ancients noted that some What Is Astrology? a moment when they begin. When a celestial lights did not move and some Astrology is an ancient body of birth chart is carefully interpreted by a did (the word “planet” comes from a knowledge originally developed as a trained astrologer, it provides answers to Greek term meaning “wanderer”). The timing system. Shepherds in the Near questions about the fate of the entity the Moon was the most obvious moving East plotted the daily motion of the chart represents. light — appearing Full like a brilliant Sun and Moon to keep track of time. white disc against the backdrop of the Through the ages, astrology has both Ancient Sky: star-filled night once every 28 days. flirted with fate and danced with death, Primordial Philosophy Stone structures (like Stonehenge) undergoing a number of reincarnations Humans have, for millennia, were built to capture the Sun’s light at to find itself where it is today. searched the natural world for signs of its highest or lowest (solstice) points. Astrology has a mixed reputation the state of the Earth and indications Temples were created to mark the pre in today’s world. As a practice, astrol of what is to come. Observations of the dawn rise of certain stars at special times ogy involves first determining where the sky are no different from the works of of the year. Most famously watched for planets and stars are in the heavens at shamans, East Indian elders, and indig was Sirius, the “dog star,” whose helia any given moment and then interpreting enous peoples across the globe. The cal rising (just before the Sun) was used these placements. Charts were originally premise that what happens in the nat to time the annual flooding of the Nile calculated by hand, until computers ural world reflects what is happening and the arrival of the hottest months of took care of the complex mathematical in an individual’s inner world is cap the Egyptian year. calculations. A modern birth (or natal) tured in the following quote from The From these daily, monthly, and chart looks like a round cake with twelve Emerald Tablet of Hermes Trismegis- annual observations of the heavens, uneven slices. Around the outside of tus: “That which is Below corresponds specific events came to be linked with the circle lie the twelve zodiac constel to that which is Above, and that which the appearance or disappearance of lations (the ecliptic). These constella is Above corresponds to that which is certain stars and planets. Over thou tions were chosen by observers over the Below, to accomplish the miracles of the sands of years of observation, a body centuries because, like a great cosmic One Thing.” Commonly reduced to “As of knowledge emerged that incor train track, they mark the path of the above, so below,” this ancient philoso porated the experience and work of Sun and planets as they move through phy underpinned the work of the great ancient Chaldean, Babylonian, Per the sky. The twelve sections inside the minds of the past, such as Plato, Aris sian, Roman, Greek, Indian, and Egyp circle are known as the “houses.” The totle,1 Pythagoras, and Ptolemy.2 tian priests, stargazers and astrologers, Sun, Moon, and planets are arrayed in a The planets and stars were thought scientists, theologians, scholars, and unique order within the houses, accord to be “god’s alphabet,” and those who mathematicians. ing to the time, date, and place of birth. could read the sky were able to inter Astrology is like a guide for the soul. pret his messages to the people. Ancient Astrology’s Origins A birth chart, which is created using the cultures (Babylonian and Egyptian) Astrology began in the area now symbols of the sky, details the promise believed that the Sun spent the hours known as Iraq (historically, Mesopota of a life set in motion at the moment of of darkness in the Underworld, only to mia and Chaldea). Lunar phases were birth. Your birth chart is a map of the emerge at dawn. The Sun was the heav first recorded in 15,000B .C.E. The ear p. 18 Student Section liest fragments of astrological tablets are through the ages. Roman Emperor Con dated to 2300 B.C.E. in Mesopotamia. stantine officially endorsed Christianity in The Venus Tablet of Amisdaqa, circa The first serious blow 312 C.E., plunging astrology and other 1600 B.C.E., contains detailed informa pagan practises into a thousand years of tion about the movement of Venus in to astrology came from darkness — at least throughout Rome the heavens (changing from evening to the Christian faith, and Greece. The vast body of knowl morning star via a threeday “disappear edge already available to astrologers ance” from the sky) and predictions for which would prove to was removed from public access, and her return. be astrology’s nemesis the general populace was encouraged Astrology has moved in and out of to convert to the Church. The rulers and favour throughout history, but only dur through the ages. religious leaders from Constantine’s time ing the past 200 years, in its most recent until the Middle Ages were in so much reinvention, has it incorporated per fear of the knowledge and magic in the sonal spirituality and psychology. Pre rule around 330 B.C.E., much knowl study of the stars that astrology was viously, astrology was a divine science edge was shared between Egyptian, made a crime punishable by death. St. known only to the wise men or priests. Babylonian, and Greek scholars. Augustine (354–430 C.E.) openly con Calculations by mathematicians and sci It was in the sixth century B.C.E. demned astrology as much of the West entists assisted in specific astronomical that the sky was first formally divided ern world descended into the Dark Ages. discoveries, so planetary motions and into twelve sections, each linked with Although astrology (and its prac distances from the Earth could be pre the specific star rising at each consecu titioners) was discredited throughout dicted, and specific maps of the heavens tive Full Moon. This division was the the Roman empire, it began to flour could be drawn. precursor to the twelve houses of the ish in the Islamic world. The first school Astrology was considered one of birth chart still in use today. Astrologer of astrology was opened in 777 C.E. in the three most important sciences (along kings, said to rule throughout Mesopo Baghdad. During the European Renais with astronomy and mathematics) by tamia (circa 700 B.C.E.), drew on their sance in the 12th century (a precursor to all major cultures from the 6th century knowledge of the sky to foretell peri the great Renaissance 300 years later), B.C.E. to around 400 C.E. Develop ods of good fortune or famine for their astrology enjoyed a revival.3 The birth ments in one field invariably led to new kingdoms. By the fourth century B.C.E., chart for King Edward II (1284) survives understandings in other primary fields. horoscopes expanded into the middle to this day. In time, this would play a part in astrol class and were drawn up for ordinary In 1348, King Philip VI of France ogy’s downfall, as scientific advances individuals, not just those in power. received a response to his request seemed to disprove some of the funda Astrology’s revered place in society regarding the “calamity” of the Black mental principles of astrology. continued through the period of Christ, Plague: The medical faculty of the Uni with the first two systematic treatises on versity of Paris linked it to a conjunction The Rise and Fall of Astrology astrology published by Vettius Valens of Saturn, Mars, and Jupiter in Aquarius, The use of astrology in its cur and Manilius in the first century C.E. By which was exacerbated by an eclipse.4 rent form — creating a natal chart, with the 900s, the Academy of Wisdom in Astrology flourished during the houses (divisions of the sky) — has Baghdad had expanded to play an inte great Renaissance as numerous ancient been around for more than 2,000 years gral part in the growth of Middle East texts were translated from Greek into (the oldest known birth chart dates back ern culture. Many ancient Greek texts Latin. (This practise had been blocked to 410 B.C.E.). Astrology was practised were translated into Arabic, spread by the Church more than 1,000 years for about 2,000 years before then, but ing knowledge throughout the Islamic earlier.) Throughout the 15th and 16th mostly for the exclusive use of king or world. In fact, the city of Baghdad was centuries, the study and practise of country. founded in 762 C.E. at a time chosen by astrology was revitalised and began to The constellations were first estab astrologers. be taught in universities across Europe.5 lished around 3000 B.C.E. Even 1,000 Tiberius, Emperor of Rome (14–37 During the reigns of King James I to years before this, Babylonians and Assyr C.E.), employed a secret police force of Charles I (in the 1600s), horoscopes ians scanned the heavens for omens astrologers to identify rivals.

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