Astrology has a long and diverse history, which is indicative of its profound roots in many different cultures worldwide. An outline of the evolution of astrology throughout several cultures is shown below:
Origins of Babylonian Astrology: Astrology dates back to the second millennium BCE in ancient Babylon. Among the first to create a methodical framework for deciphering cosmic events were the Babylonians.
Significance: They produced comprehensive star catalogues and the zodiac, a twelve-part sky divided into equal sections, each of which is linked to a particular constellation.
Impact: Babylonian astrology laid the groundwork for later astrological systems, greatly influencing Greek and Roman astrology.
Egyptian Astrology Development: The development of Egyptian astrology coincided with that of Babylonian astrology. The Egyptians were particularly interested in the motion of planets and stars, especially Sirius, whose heliacal rise was significant to their calendar.
Collaboration: The formation of Horoscopic astrology resulted from the blending of Greek and Egyptian astrology during the Hellenistic era.
Greek and Hellenistic Astrology Innovations: The Greeks combined their own innovative ideas in philosophy and mathematics with the astrology of the Babylonians and Egyptians. Among the notable individuals are Ptolemy, whose “Tetrabiblos” became a fundamental text in Western astrology.
Horoscopic Astrology: Horoscopic astrology was created by the Greeks and is based on constructing a horoscope for each person based on their birthdate and the positions of the sun, moon, and planets.
Roman Astrology: Greek astrology was taken up and made much more popular by the Romans. Roman society grew to rely heavily on astrology, which influenced both personal and governmental choices.Both emperors and commoners used astrology, and renowned astrologers like Manilius wrote important books.
Let’s learn Astrology (Vedic) in India by Astrologer K.M.Sinha.
Vedic Origins: The Vedas, a collection of holy Hindu writings that date back to 1500–500 BCE, are the earliest sources of Indian astrology, or Jyotisha. It includes things like planetary periods (dashas) and lunar mansions (nakshatras).
System: Jyotisha centres its attention on the sidereal zodiac, which is not aligned with the equinoxes but rather with constellations. It contains thorough techniques for forecasting life occurrences and spiritual development.
Influence: Indian astrology has continued to play a major role in Hindu culture and daily life for millennia despite being essentially unchanged over that time.
Chinese Astrology Origins and Development: Chinese astrology has its roots in the Han Dynasty (202 BCE–220 CE) and evolved independently of Western traditions. The Chinese calendar, which blends solar and lunar cycles, provides the basis for this calendar.
Zodiac: In Chinese astrology, there is a twelve-year cycle. Each year is linked to an element (wood, fire, earth, metal, water) and an animal sign (rat, otter, tiger, etc.).
Philosophy: It incorporates ideas from Chinese philosophy, including the Five Elements and Yin and Yang, and it has a strong connection to Feng Shui and Chinese medicine.
Persian Astrology Integration: Greek, Indian, and Babylonian astrological knowledge were all incorporated into Persian astrology, especially under the Sassanian Empire (224-651 CE).
Pioneers: Famous Persian astrologers who translated and elaborated on Greek manuscripts, like as Abu Ma’shar, made significant contributions to the development of Islamic astrology.
Islamic Astrology Golden Age: Greek and Persian astrological texts were preserved and enhanced by Muslim scientists throughout the Islamic Astrology Golden Age (8th–14th centuries). They improved upon preexisting methods while introducing new ones.
Contributions: Astrology was utilised in alchemy, astronomy, and medicine. Scholars like Al-Biruni and Al-Kindi made important contributions.
Europe in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance
Reintroduction: During the 12th century, there was a resurgence of astrology in mediaeval Europe, mostly due to the translation of Arabic writings.
Humanism and Science: Astrology was accepted as a valid science in the Renaissance. Astronomers such as Johannes Kepler also practiced astrology.
Modern Astrology Transition: Astrology changed from being a scholarly field to a popular one in the 19th and 20th centuries. Psychological astrology emerged as a result of the influence of psychology on astrological interpretations.
Pop Culture: Astrology is a popular worldwide phenomena nowadays, more commonly linked to horoscopes and individual counselling than to scientific forecasting.