History Of Astrology

History Of Astrology Related Information:

Astrology dates back to the 19 th century and the Babylonian Empire, when people were attempting to relate events like famine and war with others they saw in the skies. At one time historians and archaeologists thought that all astrological systems came from Babylon, but that theory was thrown out because of the separate astrologies which existed among the Mayans and Aztecs in South and Central America.

People now think that astrology developed alone in Babylon, India, China and Mesoamerica (Central America). While on one hand, the Mesoamerican astrological systems always remained separate, the Babylonian ideas about astrology seems to have had a major influence on the development of astrology in India and China. This influence has extended even to the point where today it’s hard to tell the difference between original systems in these areas and later borrowings from Babylon.

Astrology was an integral part of the Babylonian religion. It began in a time when people believed that our planet was the center of the universe and all the stars and planets revolved around us. Just think of the huge change that has come about from this! It’s remarkable to imagine the extent of difference with which people today think about astrology.

Babylonian priests often would predict the future. This was done in sacrifice and also by observing the sky and looking for augury. Did you know that the oldest known astrological texts are dated around the middle of the 18th century BC? These are basically readings of the sky and their consequences, much like our common sayings “Red sky at night, sailors delight; red sky at morn, sailors take warn.” The oldest known horoscope is dated at April 29, 410 BC, and is a natal horoscope not unlike the kind created by astrologers in our own century. There is not much left of the original tablet, and all we can read of the prediction itself is essentially, "things will be good for you."

Later the system was sent west to Egypt and Greece, where it made several adjustments. One important addition was the concept of free will, a big issue because the Greeks were simply unwilling to accept the idea that their fates were wholly determined by the stars. There is a famous saying, “The stars do incline; they don’t determine.” You can hear echoes of this old saying today, when people quickly criticize astrology.

The Greeks developed what has come to be called "astrology of the beginning." They just limited the scope of astrology to particular areas of a person's life, like the best times to get married or have children. Astrology that dealt with fate would later return to standing under the Romans where some emperors literally lived their lives following the "dictations of the stars."

Astrology as we know it has a long and rich history and has undergone several important phases, all of which have influenced it to become what it is for us today. This old tradition has recently been revived by various forms of practice and study. People nowadays generally consider astrology as “part” of the “bigger picture”. It can help you answer questions that you keep asking yourself. In can help you understand the language of the universe, which in other words, is just the narration of our lives. If you’re interested in furthering your knowledge of astrology and you want to learn more about related topics, take a few minutes and browse through these pages and links. Good luck on you journey to understanding.