Astrology | Definition, History, Symbols, Signs, & Facts

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border-right-sm border-left-sm open"> <div class="drawer d-flex flex-column open"> <div class="left-rail-section-content"> <div class="topic-left-rail-header text-truncate bg-gray-50 position-relative text-right d-flex align-items-center"> <div class="tlr-title px-20 py-15 text-left"> <em class="material-icons text-gray-400 d-lg-none" data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/astrology">astrology</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <ul class="list-unstyled my-0" data-level="h1"><li data-target="#ref1"><div class="pl-25"><a class="link-gray-900 w-100" href="/topic/astrology">Introduction</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref35966"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/topic/astrology#ref35966">Nature and significance</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref35967"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/topic/astrology#ref35967">Significance of astral omens</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref35968"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/topic/astrology/Purposes-of-astrology">Purposes of astrology</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref35969"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/topic/astrology/Purposes-of-astrology#ref35969">Historical development</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref35970"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/topic/astrology/Purposes-of-astrology#ref35970">Astral omens in the ancient Middle East</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref35971"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/topic/astrology/Purposes-of-astrology#ref35971">Astral omens in Egypt, Greece, India, and China</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref35972"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/topic/astrology/Astrology-in-the-Hellenistic-period-3rd-century-bc-to-3rd-century-ad">Astrology in the Hellenistic period (3rd century <span class="text-smallcaps">bc</span> to 3rd century <span class="text-smallcaps">ad</span>)</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref35973"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/topic/astrology/Astrology-after-the-Hellenistic-period">Astrology after the Hellenistic period</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35974"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/topic/astrology/Astrology-after-the-Hellenistic-period#ref35974">In India</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35975"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/topic/astrology/Astrology-after-the-Hellenistic-period#ref35975">In Sāsānian Iran</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35976"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/topic/astrology/Astrology-after-the-Hellenistic-period#ref35976">In Islam</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35977"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/topic/astrology/Astrology-after-the-Hellenistic-period#ref35977">In Byzantium</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref35978"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/topic/astrology/Astrology-after-the-Hellenistic-period#ref35978">In western Europe</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref35979"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/topic/astrology/Astrology-in-modern-times">Astrology in modern times</a></li></ul></div></li></ul> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/astrology/additional-info">References & Edit History</a> <a class="toc-extra-link link-gray-900" href="/facts/astrology">Related Topics</a> </div> <div class="tlr-media-slider pb-10 mb-30"> <a 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Author of <em>The Golden Dawn: Twilight of the Magicians </em>and others.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Robert Andrew Gilbert</span>, <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/David-E-Pingree/2322" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">David E. Pingree</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Professor of the History of Mathematics, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island. Author of <i>Gregory Chioniades and Palaeologan Astronomy </i>and others.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> David E. Pingree</span><span class="text-gray-700 mx-5">•</span><a class="see-all border-gray-700 gtm-byline" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/astrology/additional-info#contributors">All</a> </div> <div class="font-serif font-12 text-gray-700"> <span class="qa-fact-checked-by">Fact-checked by</span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 font-12" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2024-10-28T00:00:00CDT" >Oct 28, 2024</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/astrology/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 ai-ask-button btn border-2 module-spacing btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="js-qf-module qf-module px-40 px-sm-20 py-15 mx-auto module-spacing font-14 bg-gray-50 rounded"> <div class="facts-list mt-10"> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Key People: </dt> <dd><a href="/biography/John-Dee" topicid="155467">John Dee</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Imhotep" topicid="283435">Imhotep</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Georg-von-Peuerbach" topicid="454669">Georg von Peuerbach</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Girolamo-Cardano" topicid="95415">Girolamo Cardano</a></dd> <dd><a href="/biography/Nostradamus" topicid="420479">Nostradamus</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> </div> <div class=""> <div class="js-fact mb-10 line-clamp clamp-3"> <dl> <dt>Related Topics: </dt> <dd><a href="/topic/divination" topicid="166528">divination</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/pseudoscience" topicid="1419281">pseudoscience</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/zodiac" topicid="657680">zodiac</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/horoscope" topicid="272123">horoscope</a></dd> <dd><a href="/topic/star-worship" topicid="563567">star worship</a></dd> </dl> <button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-gray-50" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"> <em class="js-content link-blue">(Show more)</em> </button> </div> <div class="text-center"> <a class="btn btn-sm btn-link p-0" href="/facts/astrology"> See all related content </a> </div> </div> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref1"><span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><div class="assemblies"><div class="w-100"><figure class="md-assembly m-0 mb-md-0 card card-borderless print-false" data-assembly-id="208433" data-asm-type="video"><div class="md-assembly-wrapper card-media " data-type="video" video-id="186505"><a data-id="186505" class="gtm-assembly-link d-flex justify-content-center" style="--aspect-ratio: 16/9" href="/video/discussion-astrology-astronomy/-208433"><img src="https://cdn.britannica.com/05/186505-138-26CCB1A9/discussion-astrology-astronomy.jpg?w=800&h=450&c=crop" alt="Understand the difference in concept between astronomy and astrology" loading="lazy"><script type="application/json"> { "sources": [ { "file" : "//content.jwplatform.com/manifests/2o2E7FCx.m3u8" } ], "image": "https://cdn.britannica.com/05/186505-138-26CCB1A9/discussion-astrology-astronomy.jpg" ,"tracks": [ { "file" : "//assets-jpcust.jwpsrv.com/tracks/usCJN3GZ", "label": "English" } ] ,"adfile": "//content.jwplatform.com/manifests/gxT67PmQ.m3u8" } </script><div class="btn btn-xl btn-white btn-circle position-absolute shadow" style="top: 50%; transform: translateY(-50%)"><em class="material-icons" data-icon="play_arrow"></em></div></a></div><figcaption class="card-body"><div class="md-assembly-caption text-muted font-14 font-serif line-clamp"><span><span class="md-assembly-title font-weight-bold mr-5 d-inline font-sans-serif md-video-caption" video-control="186505">Understand the difference in concept between astronomy and astrology</span><span>A discussion of how astrology differs from astronomy.</span><button class="js-more-btn d-none btn btn-unstyled font-12 bg-white js-content" aria-label="Toggle more/less fact data"><span class="link-blue">(more)</span></button></span></div><a class="font-14 mt-10 d-inline-block" href="/topic/astrology/images-videos">See all videos for this article</a></figcaption></figure></div></div><p class="topic-paragraph"><strong><span id="ref461625"></span>astrology</strong>, type of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/divination" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">divination</a> that involves the forecasting of earthly and human events through the observation and interpretation of the fixed stars, the Sun, the Moon, and the planets. Devotees believe that an understanding of the influence of the planets and stars on earthly affairs allows them to both predict and affect the destinies of individuals, groups, and nations. Though often regarded as a <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/science" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">science</a> throughout its history, astrology is widely considered today to be diametrically opposed to the findings and theories of modern Western science.</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span></section> <span class="marker h2"></span><section data-level="1" id="ref35966"><h2 class="h1">Nature and significance</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Astrology is a method of predicting <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="mundane" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mundane" data-type="MW">mundane</a> events based upon the assumption that the celestial bodies—particularly the planets and the stars considered in their arbitrary combinations or configurations (called <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/constellation" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">constellations</a>)—in some way either determine or indicate changes in the sublunar world. The theoretical basis for this assumption lies historically in Hellenistic philosophy and radically distinguishes astrology from the celestial <em><span id="ref414628"></span>omina</em> (“<span id="ref414629"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/omen" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">omens</a>”) that were first categorized and cataloged in ancient Mesopotamia. Originally, astrologers presupposed a geocentric universe in which the “planets” (including the Sun and Moon) revolve in orbits whose centres are at or near the centre of the Earth and in which the stars are fixed upon a sphere with a <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="finite" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/finite" data-type="EB">finite</a> radius whose centre is also the centre of the Earth. Later the principles of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Aristotelianism" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Aristotelian</a> <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/physics-science" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">physics</a> were adopted, according to which there is an absolute division between the eternal, circular motions of the heavenly element and the limited, linear motions of the four sublunar elements: <span id="ref799083"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/fire-combustion" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">fire</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/air" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">air</a>, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/water" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">water</a>, earth.</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">Special relations were believed to exist between particular celestial bodies and their varied motions, configurations with each other, and the processes of generation and decay apparent in the world of fire, air, water, and earth. These relations were sometimes regarded as so complex that no human mind could completely grasp them; thus, the astrologer might be readily excused for any errors. A similar set of special relations was also assumed by those whose physics was more akin to that of the Greek philosopher <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Plato" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Plato</a>. For the <span id="ref414630"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Platonism" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Platonic</a> astrologers, the element of fire was believed to extend throughout the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="celestial" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/celestial" data-type="EB">celestial</a> spheres, and they were more likely than the Aristotelians to believe in the possibility of divine intervention in the natural processes through celestial influences upon the Earth, since they believed in the deity’s creation of the celestial bodies themselves.</p><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The role of the <span id="ref414631"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Providence-theology" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">divine</a> in astrological theory varies considerably. In its most rigorous aspect, astrology postulates a totally mechanistic universe, denying to the deity the possibility of intervention and to man that of free will; as such, it was vigorously attacked by orthodox <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Christianity" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Christianity</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Islam" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Islam</a>. For some, however, astrology is not an exact science like <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/astronomy" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">astronomy</a> but merely indicates trends and directions that can be altered either by divine or by human will. In the interpretation of <span id="ref414632"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Bardesanes" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Bardesanes</a>, a Syrian Christian scholar (154–<em>c.</em> 222)—who has often been identified as a <span id="ref414633"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/gnosticism" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Gnostic</a> (a believer in <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="esoteric" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/esoteric" data-type="MW">esoteric</a> salvatory knowledge and the view that matter is evil and spirit good)—the motions of the stars govern only the elemental world, leaving the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/soul-religion-and-philosophy" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">soul</a> free to choose between the good and the evil. Man’s ultimate goal is to attain emancipation from an astrologically dominated material world. Some astrologers, such as the <span id="ref414634"></span>Harranians (from the ancient Mesopotamian city of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Harran" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Harran</a>) and the <span id="ref414635"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hinduism" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Hindus</a>, regard the planets themselves as potent deities whose decrees can be changed through supplication and liturgy or through theurgy, the science of persuading the gods or other supernatural powers. In still other interpretations—e.g., that of the Christian <span id="ref414636"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Priscillian" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Priscillianists</a> (followers of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Priscillian" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Priscillian</a>, a Spanish <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="ascetic" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ascetic" data-type="MW">ascetic</a> of the 4th century who apparently held dualistic views)—the stars merely make <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="manifest" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/manifest" data-type="MW">manifest</a> the will of God to those trained in astrological symbolism.</p><div class="one-good-fact-module"> </div><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span> <section data-level="2" id="ref35967"><h2 class="h2">Significance of astral omens</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD5 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The view that the stars make manifest the <span id="ref414637"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/divination" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">divine</a> will is closest to the concept that lies behind the ancient Mesopotamian collections of celestial omens. Their primary purpose was to inform the royal court of impending disaster or success. These might take the forms of meteorological or <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="epidemic" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/epidemic" data-type="MW">epidemic</a> phenomena affecting entire human, animal, or plant populations. Frequently, however, they involved the military affairs of the state or the personal lives of the ruler and his family. Since the celestial <em>omina</em> were regarded not as deterministic but rather as indicative—as a kind of symbolic language in which the gods communicated with men about the future and as only a part of a vast array of ominous events—it was believed that their unpleasant forebodings might be <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="mitigated" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mitigated" data-type="MW">mitigated</a> or nullified by ritual means or by contrary omens. The <em><span id="ref414638"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/baru-Mesopotamian-priest" class="md-crosslink ">bāru</a></em> (the official prognosticator), who observed and interpreted the celestial <em>omina</em>, was thus in a position to advise his royal employer on the means of avoiding misfortunes; the omens provided a basis for intelligent action rather than an indication of an inexorable fate.</p><a class="link-module shadow-sm d-block qa-quiz-module" href="/quiz/zodiac-signs-and-their-dates-quiz" data-link-module-iframe-link=""> <img loading="lazy" src="https://cdn.britannica.com/72/223172-131-C3F72804/astrology-horoscope-circle.jpg" alt="Astrology horoscope circle. 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Astrology | Definition, History, Symbols, Signs, & Facts | Britannica