Print article - A Brief Look at the History of Astrology

Astrology is a powerful tool that has been used for guidance as far back as our race has written history. The definition: 'the study of the movements and relative positions of celestial bodies interpreted as having an influence on human affairs and the natural world', tells us that celestial bodies are studied and, as we all know, the relationship between their positions and our lives on Earth have been noted along with their patterns recognised for many years.

Astrology opens doors for us to a higher connected consciousness via our enlightenment and insight into our intimate relations with the planets. Today, we can use astrology for our own personal use to connect with ourselves and learn more about us and our relationships with each other, but a long time ago things were very different. Astrology was used very much for political gain at one time and was used mainly by Kings and Queens, to obtain an advantage over other countries through settlement and war. It was also used for the auspicious timing major events. This is still true today, but now the subject is so much more accessible through online information and its popularity is rapidly increasing. Let’s have a look at the way astrology has developed throughout the ages.

2000 to 200 BCE - Babylonian Astrology

Mesopotamia was an ancient place that is now known as a part of modern day Iraq. Between 2000 and 200 BCE, a Babylonian civilisation lived there who wrote their astrological findings and observations on clay tablets, some of which have survived to this day and can be viewed in several museums around the world. The written symbols and marks that were used back then are referred to as cuneiform and the ‘Enuma Anu Enlil’ are a major series of tablets from this time-frame. Many of these ancient astrologers were priests, the earliest being known as Nabu-rimanni.
Babylonians predicted solar and lunar eclipses accurately, yet at that time they were considered evil omens that the kings had to bear.

350 to 50 BCE - The First Astronomical Ephemerides

This is when some of the first known calculations of the planet’s locations in the celestial sphere were recorded, as Babylonian mathematicians created the first astronomical ephemerides of the skies. ‘All subsequent varieties of scientific astronomy, in the Hellenistic world, in India, in Islam, and in the West … depend upon Babylonian astronomy in decisive and fundamental ways.’ (From the Wiki page for Babylonian astronomy).

300 BCE to 600 CE - Hellenistic Astrology

Around 280 BCE, a Babylonian Priest and astronomer named Berossus moved to the Islands of Greece to teach Babylonian culture and astrology to the Greeks. Hellenistic astrology was then practised during the late Hellenistic period in Greece, Egypt and the rest of the Mediterranean region. The Hellenistic astrologers used the astrology of sect, meaning that natal charts were interpreted differently depending on whether they were day or night charts, also known as the Doctrine of Sect.

1500 to 1650 CE – The Decline of Astrology

The decline of astrology can be attributed to a number of events, but one of the main events is the introduction of the heliocentric solar system, which was first offered by Copernicus in the 1500’s. Galileo Galilei and future polymaths supported the heliocentric model and as this was widely accepted, people questioned the validity of astrology with its reliance on the geocentric model. There was a separation between science and superstition and astronomy and astrology began to also separate.
The protestant reform movement from the 1500’s contributed to the decline of astrology, because Christians were against any form of ‘divination’.

1860 to 1950 CE – The Revival of Astrology

Astrologer Alan Leo helped revive the popularity of astrology with his work on karma and reincarnation. A theosophist, he was known as ‘the father of modern astrology’.
He began the movement towards a more psychologically oriented astrology. Carl Jung then further popularised this; the founder of analytical psychology practised astrology himself and much of modern psychological astrology today refers to his principles. Almanacs grew in popularity around this time, too.

1970’s Onwards

As early as 1973, a computer generated ephemeris was created by Neil Michelsen. From this moment onwards and throughout following decades, natal chart calculation has grown in ease and popularity, giving rise to astrology’s increase in use. Progressions, solar arcs, midpoint charts and transit reports can be calculated, all at the click of a button, making it so much easier to become a professional astrologer. Astrology was made more accessible than ever before.

Year 2000 to present

With the birth of millennials, a notable boom in astrology has taken place and it’s now more popular than ever. Science has rejected astrology for a long time, but now much of society greatly values astrology, despite its lack of proof.

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