Astrology in Roman Law and Politics

150 Pages·1954·19.185 MB·English

by  Frederick H. Cramer

ASTROLOGY IN ROMAN LAW
AND POLITICS
FREDERICK H. CRAMER
Professor of History
Mount Holyoke College
THE AMERICAN' PHILOSOPHICAL SOCIETY
INDEPENDENCE SQUARE
PHILADELPHIA
Copyright 1954 by the American Philosophical Society
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ASTROLOGY IN ROME UNTIL THE END OF THE PRINCIPATE
ft
Is perhaps the historians’ travail more profitable? They lost more time
and oil. The thousandth page, indeed, tops the preceding ones, and the
expensive paper pile is still growing. The enormous amount of subject
matter and the rules of the profession insist on that What, however,
have they to show for it. what fruits of the wide world? Who would pay
a historian even the trifle paid to a mere reader reciting the daily
newspaper!
Juvenal, Satires, 7, vv. 98-104.
r
CONTENTS
PAGE
Part I. The Rise and Triumph of Astrology in the Latin World............................... 1
Preface............................................................................................................................................... 1
I. The rise of astrology in the hellenistic w orld.................................................................... 3
1. The meaning of “ scientific ” astrology.......................................................................... 3
i 2. The origins of horoscopal astrology................................................................................ 4
3. The rise of Hellenistic astrology....................................................................................... 9
4. Some tenets and techniques of ‘‘ scientific ” astrology.................................................. 19
II. The conversion of republican Rome to astrology (250-44 B .C .)............................................................. 44
1. The arrival of astrology in the Latin world (250-170 B .C .)............................................ 44
l1 2. An age of reason (ca. 170-139 b .c .)................................................................................. 50
3. The triumph of astrology in republican Rome (139-44 b .c .)..................................... 58
4. The last great sceptics of the Roman republic.............................................................. 69
III. Astrologers—the power behind the throne, from Augustus to Domitian......................... 81
1. Introduction............................................................................................................................ 81
2. The age of transition: 44 b.c.-a.d. 2 ................................................................................. 82
3. The decay of Augustan scepticism................................................................................ 90
4. Thrasyllus and Augustus................................................................................................... 92
5. Thrasyllus and Tiberius (a.d. 14-22)................................................................................ 99
6. Thrasyllus at the zenith of his power (a.d. 23-36)........................................................ 104
7. Ennia Thrasylla......................................................................................................................108
8. Balbillus and Claudius.........................................................................................................112
9. Balbillus and N ero...............................................................................................................115
10. Balbillus and his house under the Flavian rulers..............................................................131
11. Conclusion............................................................................................................................144
IV. Astrology in Rome from Nerva to the death of Severus Alexander (96-235) . . . 146
1. Introduction............................................................................................................................146
2. Astrology in the reigns of Xerva and Trajan (96-117)............................................149
3. Astrology in Latin literature at the turn of the first century......................................154
4. Hadrian: another astrologer on the throne (117-138)..................................................162
5. The retreat of the champions of astrology in the second century...............................178
6. The astrological literature of the later principate........................................................184
7. Foes of astrology in the later principate....................................................................195
8. The twilight of “ scientific " astrology..........................................................................208
9. The decline of rationalism and the rise of star worship..................................................217
10. Conclusion: Friends and foes of the sun-cult at the end of the principate . . . 224
ix
i
PAGE
Part II. Astrology in Roman Law until the End of the Principate
Preface................................................................................................................................................232
PART I.
V. Expulsion of astrologers from Rome and Italy.....................................................................233
1. Introduction.............................................................................................................................233 THE RISE AND TRIUMPH OF ASTROLOGY IN THE LATIN WORLD
2. Republican forms: Expulsion hv praetorian edict and city ordinance . . . . 234
3. Imperial methods (a.i>. 16-52) : Expulsion by senatits consulta...............................237
4. Imperial methods ( a.d. 66?-176?) : Expulsion by imperial edicts...............................241 PREFACE 1
5. Conclusion.....................................„ .................................................................................247
It is not often realized to what extent symbolism and astrological literature there remained enough compilers
VI. Empire wide legal restrictions of astrology and other divination during the principate . 248 languages have preserved concepts and terms of Graeco- to preserve much of the work of their predecessors.
1. The Augustan edict of a.d. 1 1 ..............................................................................................248 Ranodm a“ no papstorsoiltoiogny .” Aofs trpolnaonmetesr; s osnpee afkre oefl y“ cdoisncjuusnscetsi otnh e’’ JMuleina nluikse. PHaelpchhauess. toiorn R ohfe Ttohreiubse sw, ethree lAarngoenlyy mreussp oonf s3ib7l9e,
2. The evolution of the Augustan edict in legal practice (11-49)............................................251
“ aspects ” of a given problem. People thank their for the preservation of the bulk of our extant Greek
3. Violations of the Augustan edict during the later principate (52-205) . . . . 261
“ lucky stars ’’ for escaping from a danger. An unsuc­ astrological texts. Writing as they did in the twilight
4. Astrologers in court for violations of the Augustan edict............................................270 cessful venture is “ ill starred.” The “ stars " of the period of pagan culture, in the fourth and fifth centuries,
5. Legal restrictions of divination during the principate..................................................276 realm of arts, or that of sports are those who rose to they saved for us not only a wealth of ancient materials,
prominence in their respective field of endeavor. The
but also a great deal of information of astronomical,
Conclusion................................................................................................................................................281 flag of many a nation reflects astrological symbolism. sociological, and historical value. Owing to the diffi­
The “ rising sun ” of Japan, the Crescent and Star of
culty of gaining access to much of this wealth and to the
Index ......................................................................................................................................................284 tehaec hO stttaotme aonf ethmep iUren,i oans wis eslly masb ooluizre do wbny fala gb,r iignh tw shtiacrh, natural tendency to concentrate on the classical authors
of Greece and Rome, few philologists have hitherto
all of which in turn are set into a blue field, encompass­
ing them as heaven does the stars—these are but a few availed themselves of these sources of information.
instances chosen almost at random from the numerous In 1933 Ernst Riess, in an address entitled “ The
national flags l>earing witness to the continued popu­ influence of astrology on life and literature at Rome,”
larity of astral symbolism. The possibility of the eleva­ exhorted American scholars:
tion of a human soul and its transformation into an
eternally shining star was a belief which left a profound The labors of investigators during the last forty-five
years, among whom it may suffice to name Franz Boll,5
impact on artistic style. Roman rulers beginning with
Franz Cumont.:l and Wilhelm Kroll,4 have served to place
Julius Caesar were ceremoniously “ catasterized.” i. e. in sharp relief the many relations of the influence of astrol­
the soul of the departed officially reported as having ogy in all spheres of ancient life and literature. Yet our
ascended skywards. His effigy thus became the first of editions of classical authors are strangely silent about this
any Roman to bear a star-shaped halo, a symbol trans­ influence. . . . This paper intends to arouse, if possible,
a renewed interest in the subject.5
formed into the haloes of the images of countless saints.
To the development and to the theories of ancient
astrology the Romans contributed next to nothing, but ‘ A complete bibliography of F. Boll’s numerous and widely
dispersed writings was compiled by K. Meister and published in
were it not for the long and enthusiastic i)elief of Roman .Whc Jahrbuecher (tier IVissenschaft und Jugendbildung, 1, 1925:
devotees, the Renaissance would hardly have l>een calla­ 329 f.; see also F. Boll, Kleine Schriften :ur Stemkunde del
ble of using in its art so many astrological elements. The Altcrtnins: xxv ff.. Leipzig, Koehler & Amelang, 1950.
names of the days of the western week are those of the 3 F. Cumont’s publications prior to 1936 are listed in Melanges
.... Cmnont. eJ. A. and L. Delatte, Anmtaire de philologic
Latin star-gods. We still speak of “ jovial," saturnine.” orientate. 4: vii-xxxi, Brussels, Secretariat de I'Institut, 1936.
or “ mercurial ” temperaments. Moreover the bulk of Anions; liis suhseqiiEn; itnportan writings are L’Egypte des
our extant Greek astrological literature stems from the astrologucs. Brussels. Fondation egyptologique reine Elisabeth,
first five centuries of our era, when Roman emperors 1937, and, together with J. Bidez, Les mages hellenises, 2v.,
Paris, Societe d'editions Les Belles L:ttres, 1938; Lux perpetua,
controlled the Mediterranean world. Without the stead­ Paris. Librairie orientalisle Paul Geuthner. 1949.
fast interest of the Roman upper class, especially during * Among Kroll’s important contributions are numerous articles
the first three centuries, these Greek writers of the in the !<h. liis joint edition with Skutsch of Firmicus Maternus’
Roman empire would hardly have found enough patrons Mailtcsis. 2 v„ Leipzig, Teubner. 1897 and 1912, the first edition
of the Antholagiae of Vettius Valens, Berlin, Weidmann, 1908,
to encourage and propagate such literary efforts. And
the edition of volumes 5(2) and 6 of the Cat., as well as many
even when originality and zest began to fade from articles widely distributed in scholarly periodicals.
"Translated hv Charles Knapp in Classical Weekly 21 (10),
1 The two works always quoted in abbreviation are RE, i. e. Dec. 1933:73-78. The above quotation is from 73 f. Compare
Pauly-Wissowa, Rcalensyklopaedie ties klassiscitcn Altcrtums, also an American contribution in this field. L. Thorndike, A
2nd ed. Stuttgart. 1894 ff.. and Cut., i.e. Calulntius codicum Roman astrologer as a historical source: Julius Firmicus Ma­
astrologorum graecorum. Brussels. 1898 ff. ternus. Jour. Class. Philo1.. 8, 1913:415-435.
1
2 THE RISE AND TRIUMPH OF ASTROLOGY IN THE LATIN WORLD
This appeal by and large fell upon deaf ears in this of them seem to be availing themselves as yet of this
country until recent years. Not even a popular classic new opportunity. Historians in turn may be called upon
like Boll-Bezold-Gundel’s Sternglaube tind Stentdcu­ to reappraise certain aspects of Roman history. The
tting (4th ed., Leipzig, Teubner, 1931) has appeared present study does not presume to delve into the prob­ I. THE RISE OF ASTROLOGY IN THE HELLENISTIC WORLD
in an English translation. The unsurpassed handbook lem of astrological influences in Graeco-Roman litera­
of A. Bouche-Leclercq, entitled L'astrologie grecque ture. It confines itself mainly to the impact of astrology 1. THE MEANING OF “SCIENTIFIC” ASTROLOGY already Hesiod was credited with an Astronomy * which
(Paris. Ernest Leroux. 1899) is equally inaccessible to on Roman upper-class society, an impact not without Scientific astrology has rightly been called “ the was still known in the days of Augustus.7 Thales was
the English or American reading public. It also con­ consequence at times upon the course of political or product of a marriage of religion and science.” 1 Bom said to have fallen into a well while “ astronomizing.” *
tains the best available summary of the role of astrology military events. Since fatalist astrology required of and slowly developed in Mesopotamia—the first extant In the fifth century b. c., however, a more profound
Eini stlheer 'sR boomoakn own orTldh e (crohy. axl vair: t 5o4f3 -a6s2tr7o).l ogyT h(eL olantde oRn,. nitese ddse vboete egsi vae nf attoa litsht e Wceelatsaenlescssh asuturunggg, lea ttbenettwioene nm tuhset hmoartoes cdoepvee ldoaptmese notn ilny tfhroe mH e4l1le0n bis. tcic.— eriat .2r eacThheedn itEs guylptit­, mto ePanlaintog, dweafsin egdiv aenst rtoon otmhiys atesr mth.e dSisoccipralitnees, daecvcootreddi ntgo
Joseph. 1946) was an attempt to fill the gap, but unfortu­ champions of fatalism and those of free will. especially Alexandria, became a renowned center of such investigating the movements of the fixed stars, the sun
nately the work cannot be considered as reliable. In­ A separate bibliography has been omitted, since it studies. This led both Greek and Roman authors to the and the moon, and the relation of their respective speeds
stead the slender volume of lectures by F. Cumont, would practically have to include the historical litera­ mistaken concept, still encountered in many a modem with each other.9 He did, nevertheless, according to
Astrology and religion among the Greeks and Romans ture devoted to more than four centuries of Roman treatment of the subject, that Egyptian astrology was Xenophon, reject purely theoretical astronomical specu­
(London and New York, G. B. Putnam's Sons, 1912) history. On the other hand, it seemed advisable to pre­ either older, or at least coeval with Mesopotamian lations and research.10 Plato, on the other hand, had
still remains the only commendable popular publication sent much of our material unadorned, in the form of astrology and developed parallel with but independent Socrates pronounce himself in favor of the most abstract
on this subject in English. A valuable treatment of the direct quotation. In many instances the English version from it. Scientific astrology — in contrast to omina, kind of astronomical studies against the pragmatic atti­
scientific background, i. e. of mathematics and astron­ as given in the Loeb Classics series has been used, but omen-astrology and the like—was based on the investi­ tude of Glaucon.11
omy, in Egypt and Mesopotamia (whence Hellenistic never uncritically. gation of planetary positions at the time of birth (or The old term did not find favor with the generation
astrologers imported the roots of their craft) has just The study will be continued in order to deal with the conception). It was founded on a fatalistic concept of of Aristotle. The founder of the Peripatetic school
been published in O. Neugebauer's The exact sciences role of astrology in the later Roman empire, in particular the cosmos. Side by side with it flourished catarchic himself steadfastly used the word astrology where his
in antiquity (Copenhagen. 1951).® Meanwhile the pro­ in the period from the fall of Severus Alexander to the astrology which merely assumed non-fatalistic astral predecessors had spoken of astronomy.11 He did
tracted labors of a number of scholars have brought to death of Justinian I (235-565). It is for this reason influence on mundane enterprises like travel, marriage, distinguish applied astrology — for example navigation
completion the monumental Catalogus codicum astro- that the present volume has the subtitle “ I. Astrology or business decisions.3 There was obviously a logical by the use of stars’ positions—from the type of purely
logorum Graecorum (abbreviated Cat.Y It revealed in Rome until the end of the Principate.” contradiction between the one type of astrology and theoretical and mathematical investigations by which
for example some second-century horoscopes, includ­ The author’s gratitude is expressed to the Social the other. For either stars and constellations exercised the preceding century had added so much to the scope
ing that of the emperor Hadrian, as well as numerous Science Research Council and to the American Philo­ an immutable, or merely an avoidable, influence on of earlier Greek “ astronomy.”13 Aristotle's astrology
fragments from the works of Greek astrologers, many sophical Society which made the research possible by earthly affairs. To the ancients, however, this distinc­ paid special attention, indeed, to those very geometrical
hitherto wholly unknown. The fragments also con­ several grants-in-aid, and to the Society for its decision tion usually was by no means clearly apparent. In hypotheses by which his contemporaries were trying to
tained synopses and texts by two historically important to publish this study. Mr. Robert Haynes of Widener any case fatalist astrology was the youngest of several explain the movements of the stars. The influence of
astrologers, Thrasyllus, friend and adviser of Tiberius, Library at all times did everything in his power to similar forms of divination of which for example the Stagirite was great enough to lend a long life-span
and Balbillus, son of Thrasyllus, who in turn served facilitate the research without which this book could astro-meteorology4 was a wide-spread, by no means to this usage of the term astrology. The rapid develop­
Gaudius, Nero, and Vespasian as court astrologer and not have been completed. Professor George Sarton of exclusively Mesopotamian forerunner. ment of Hellenistic astrology (in our sense of the word)
confidential consultant. Some of this recently revealed Harvard on several occasions opened to me most gen­ For many centuries astrology was considered as a eventually led to the adoption of a separate term for
knowledge prompted F. Cumont to present a new ap­ erously the sesame of his private library. To Professor legitimate branch of applied astronomy. The terms astronomy. The terminus technicus for it now became
praisal of Hellenistic and Roman Egypt in his L'Egypt Alice Farnsworth of Mount Holyoke College the author astronomy and astrology were actually used synonym­ mathematics. But soon this term in turn was usurped
des astrologues. A vast amount of work remains to be is indebted for the computation of some Greek horo­ ously. It has even been suggested that astronomy by the Hellenistic star-redes and thus lost its original
done. At last the Latin astrological manuscripts are the scopes. Professor A. J. Sachs, and, more than anyone originally merely denoted the connecting of astro- meaning. Finally towards the end of antiquity the circle
target of an effort, paralleling the one now so happily else. Professor O. Neugebauer of Brown University meteorological phenomena with the risings and settings
terminated in the completion of the Cat. A compre­ were indefatigable in their competent and vitally helpful of certain stars and constellations. An astronomer thus * Athenaeus, 11, f. 491; compare Philip (of Opus ?), Epinomis,
hensive catalogue of astrological Latin illustrated manu­ advice, in particular for the first chapter. Finally it is would be a meteorologist who “assigned” (from the f. 990a: “ I shall pronounce one word . . . astronomy. The true
scripts is, under the auspices of the Warburg Institute, due to Elizabeth Cramer’s unflagging zeal in keeping Greek viiuo) either individual stars or entire constella­ astronomer must not—like Hesiod and others like him—confine
now in the process of publication. the mountainous files of notes and in retyping with tions their “ weather-making ” roles, presumably of his observations only to the risings and settings of the sun."
For the philologist the mass of materials thus made infinite patience page after page that this ridiculus mus course on the basis of accumulated observational data.5 On the degree to which oriental ideas may be reflected in Plato’s
Laws, esp. ff. 893 B ff., compare the rabidly pro-Hellenist W. ].
accessible will be of great importance, although but few could be born at all. Even if the excuse in magnis It can therefore not be surprising that for instance W. Koster, Le mythe de Platon, de Zarathoustra ct des Chal-
magna voluisse sat should not be pleaded, the author is deens, Mnemosyne, suppl. 3, 1951: 59 ff.
* Vol. 9 of the Acta Historica Scicnttamm Naturalium ct painfully aware of many chinks in his armor. Yet if 1 Riess, loc. cit. 7 Hyginus still knew it; see Pliny, Nat. Hist., 7, 48, 153.
Medicinalium. Of special importance is Neugebauer’s demonstra­ American scholars begin to take a greater interest than - Compare the nine-page summary by M. P. Nilsson, The rise * Plato, Theaetetus, f. 174 A.
tion of the relatively late origin of horoscopal astrology which hitherto in an important and still largely neglected field of astrology in the Hellenistic age, Historical notes and papers, * Plato. Gorgias, f. 451 C.
antedated the hellenistic era only by less than a century. On 18, Lund Observatory, 1943. 10 Xenophon, Memorabilia, 4, 7, 4.
the value of the investigation of pseudo-scientific texts, see his of studies, our labor will not have been in vain. 3 About Egyptian iatromathematics see for example the resume 11 Plato, Republic, 7, ff. 527 D ff.
The study of wretched subjects, Isis, 42, 1951: 111. of Ptolemy, Tetrabiblos, 1. 3, 15 f.; also 3, 1, 103 ff. 15 More than a thousand years later Suidas still defined
’ Brussels, Lamertin, 1898 ff. Only vol. 9 (2), the last of the F. H. C. * For a survey see R. Eisler, op. cit., ch. xix: 154-161. astronomy as aarptnr iiaro/tif.
series, was published in 1953. October 1, 1953 3 See on the subject P. Tannery, Rcchcrchcs stir Vhistoire de 11 Hipparchus (ca. 160 b. c.) called astronomers mathematicians.
I’astronomie ancienne, ch. i: 1-25; ch. ii: 26-55, Paris, Gauthier- Three hundred years later the great astronomical work of
Viilars et Fils. 1893; more recently E. Laroche. Les noms grecs Ptolemy was entitled luithmaTiKii avrraitt. Both scientists did,
de l’astronomie, Revue de Philologie 73, 3rd ser., 20, 1946: 118- however, include astrology as a scientific application of as­
123. tronomy.
3
4 THE RISE AND TRIUMPH OF ASTROLOGY IN THE LATIN WORLD
THE RISE OF ASTROLOGY IN THE HELLENISTIC WORLD 5
was completed : Once again astronomy came to denote 14 in Greek literature and learning began to stir in Rome. Mesopotamia the extravagant claims of ancient and centuries separates this horoscope from the next one,
as it still does—man's purely scientific endeavors to As the century drew to its close, not only Greek plays,
find a rational explanation for the nature and motions epics, and lyrical poetry came to be appreciated by a mscoiednetrifni c saosutrrocleosg ya,b coluati mtsh ea lraenatdiqyu oitcyc aosifo nMalelyso spuostpaemcitaedn dwohuicbhte dst emthsa tf roMme stohpeo ytaemari a2n6 3a sbt. rco.l.o-3g yit ccaonn tihnaureddly ibtes
of the stars. Xot until the age of Newton, however, small but growing number of aristocratic Roman in ancient times, have had to be modified considerably. steady development during the interval. No parallel
did this readopted term definitely exclude irrational humanists, but also scholarly works, especially in the Prezodiacal astrology, i. e. astrology practiced prior to phenomenon took place in Egypt during this era. so far
offshoots like “ scientific astrology." field of historiography, found enthusiastic Roman the introduction of the zodiacal system of constellations, as we know at present. In view of the relatively late date
In Hellenistic and Roman times astrology in the readers. Simultaneously, however, a wave of eastern cannot be regarded as " horoscopal astrology," but only at which zodiacal astrology liecame possible—during the
minds of scholars and laymen alike tended to l)e accepted cults inundated Italy, some of them star cults. Their
as a form of star omen technique, whose predictions time of the Peloponnesian war in Greece—a long-stand­
bv a growing number of people as the scientific, the chief appeal at first was with the lower Roman strata.
had the primitive character illustrated in the following ing dispute alxmt the time when the Hellenic world first
rational method of divination. The arguments in its There too astrologers found their first devoted clientele.
sample of Mesopotamian hemerologv: became aware of oriental astrology is reduced to the
favor looked impressive, indeed. The vital effect ’of the Not until the last century of the republic did they suc­
question to what extent Greek intellectuals familiarized
sun upon terrestrial life was obvious and was constantly ceed in winning over Rome's upper class. In the end, When on the first of the month of Nisan the rising sun themselves with this recent Mesopotamian development
cited as incontrovertible evidence of astral influence however, not “ scientific ” astrology but a star cult, sun- appears red like a torch, white clouds rise from it. and the
during the century preceding the death of Alexander
across space. Painstaking and prolonged observations worship. became (in the third century a.d.) the domi­ wind blows from the east, then there will he a solar eclipse
had, astrologers asserted, obtained corresponding proof nant official creed, paving the road for the ultimate on the 28th or 29th day of the month, the king will die that the Great (d. 323 B.C.) Prior to the recent computa­
of the influence of lesser stars upon all life on earth. triumph of Judaeo-Christian monotheism. So strong very month, and his son will ascend the throne.19 tion of the above-mentioned dates the division of opinion
had greater leeway. An earlier view assigned the in­
In essence the principles on which these theories rested was the belief in the Invincible Sun (Sol Invictus)17 Omens of this type were common, but, after the evolu­ vasion of the Greek world by astrology to the time of
were scientifically valid.15 Manilius in his magnificent that for example Constantine I (d. 337), himself at first tion of horoscopal astrology, came to be frowned upon Alexander.-4 More recently, on the other hand, it was
Astronomica (early first century a. d. j stressed this a devotee of the sun cult, found it. indeed perfectly com­ by scientific Chaldaean astrologers.20 The era whence suggested that Greek scholars acquired at least a smat­
aspect of astrology time and again. His famous patible with his pro-Christian sympathies to authorize the above-quoted example stemmed, probably the seventh tering of Mesopotamian astrology centuries before.25
Fata regunt orbem, certa stant omnia lege! la his own portrayal as Helios. And in 354 the ascendant century b. c., has also furnished us with the names of Such knowledge, however, as we now know, could until
(Fate rules the universe,—on immutable law everything Christian church in the reign of his pious but unsavory some court “ astrologers ” like Asharidu, Bullutu, Balasi. the time of Socrates and Plato be confined at best to
rests.) son. Constantius II. found it prudent to change the cele­ Ishtar-shumerish, Nabuachiriba, Nabu-shumishku, and omen-astrology, hemerologv, astromagic, or astrometeor-
bration of the birth of Jesus from the traditional date Nergaletir. They had no known Egyptian predeces­ ology only. Fatalistic horoscopal astrology developed
formulated the basic axioms of all science. Fatalistic (January 6) to December 25, in order to combat the sors or contemporaries. Mesopotamian astronomy did even in Mesopotamia only after the establishment of the
astrology thus two thousand years ago preached the pagan Sun god’s popularity — his “ birthday ” being not arrive at a firmly established zodiacal system until zodiacal system, towards the end of the fifth century b. c.,
mechanistic creed that cause-and-effect relations alone December 25. the middle of the fifth century b. c., when Mesopotamia the oldest extant horoscope (as noted above) dating
determined organic, as well as anorganic processes com­ The story of star worship in the Roman empire has was part of the Persian empire and Athens enjoyed from 410 b. c. (when Socrates was about sixty and Plato
pletely, and beyond that sphere also all human thought been competently dealt with by a number of modern the Pertclean era. On the other hand, for a long time about seventeen years old). The infiltration of some
and action. In spite of such Simon-pure rationalism scholars, especially F. Cumont.18 but the all-pervading astronomical observations had been made in Babylonia, knowledge of Mesopotamian developments towards horo­
Hellenistic astrology from the very beginning was per­ influence of “ scientific ” astrology during the era of for instance about the appearance of Venus and the scopal astrology is quite probable. It would merely con­
meated with religious elements too. Greek astrologers the late Roman republic, and particularly under the positions of this and certain other planets in relation to stitute part of the natural contact between Greek and
for example were responsible for the eventual identifi­ principate, does not yet seem to have attracted the de­ each other. Sun and moon were of course included oriental civilizations. Taken in this general sense the
cation of all planets with specific deities, while in pre- tailed attention it deserves. It therefore became the among the planets. Eventually the technique of de­ claims of later authors of antiquity may contain a grain
Heilenistic Mesopotamia only some, but by no means object of this study. Inevitably related activities, in­ scribing a planet’s position by means of the particular of truth, although of course assertions like the one which
all, planets had been associated with divinities. The volving the use of magic and witchcraft, will have to be zodiacal sign “ in ” which it was at the time could not insisted that Pythagoras was a disciple of the Chaldaean
Greeks labeled planets with a variety of names, among touched upon on occasion, but the history of secular, but further the evolution of horoscopal astrology.-1 Zaratas (Zoroaster;,-6 or that he himself was the author
which lesser divinities like Heracles were also repre­ '* rational." i. e. “ scientific,” astrology in the Roman The earliest zodiacal horoscope known so far is a
sented. Eventually, however, a standardized system empire will form our main topic of discussion. cuneiform text in the Bodleian Library at Oxford." April 4( r) ; no. 1870, Morgan Libr. Coll. A. J. Sachs has
evolved in which the planets were uniformly referred It dates, according to a recent computation, worked out computed this day by means of the lunar longitude. Another
to as, for example, “ the star of Kronos," " the star of 2. THE ORIGIN'S OF HOROSCOPAL ASTROLOGY on the basis of the planetary longitudes, from April 29, cuneiform horoscope contains both the conception and the birth
Aphrodite,-' “ the star of Zeus.” and so forth. Ulti­ Ancient and modern literature on this topic has 410 b. c. Inasmuch as the zodiacal system had been horoscopes, dating from March 17 and December 15. 258 ii. c.;
Brit. Mus. Rm. IV 224; published by F. Kugler, Sternkund:
mately one simply identified each planet with its par­ wavered between accepting Chaldaean. i. e. Mesopo­ established only a short time before, this horoscope und Sterndienst in Babel. 2: 558-562, Mueuster, 1924; J. Schaum-
ticular divinity, for example, Hermes. Aphrodite. Ares. tamian. or Egyptian priority claims on behalf of the clearlv belongs to the earliest period of horoscopal berger, ibid.. Eri). 3: pi. 7, no. 14. Another cuneiform horoscope,
Zeus, and Kronos. The Latin terminology of this invention of astrology. If. however, the term is used astrology. Although a gap of almost one and a half dating from June 3, 235 b. c., is found in no. 2190, Morgan Libr.
nomenclature. Mercury, Venus. Mars, Jupiter, and in the strictest sense of the word. i. e. applying to horo- Coll. N'o. vet printed is Brit. Mus. Rm. IV 299. dating irom
Saturn, became that of western astronomy until the scopal techniques, thus excluding henierology, omens, 18 Boll-Bezold-Gundel; 14. July 3( ?) 230 B.C.. while Sp. Ill 22. dated March 1. 142 b. c.,
present day. astro-magic, etc., the evidence now available is in favor 30 Strabo, 16. 1, 6 (f. 739) : " In Babylon a settlement is set was published by F. Kugler, op. cit., 2: 554-558.
The third century b. c. was the one in which an almost of Mesopotamian priority in this field. But even for acaplalertd , bwv hoth ea relo ccoaln cpehrnileods omphoesrtlsy, wthiet h Cahsatrlodaneoamnsy, ; absu t thsoeym ea roef 18"6F; oJre stsheins . oipbiindi..o n8 :sce.e 6f2o rf fe.;x avm. pOleef eRleie. ssS uinn, RmEo o2n,: ca. nd18 0;t2a frfs..,
eI(txf o11p54wu lOFroatuhnssri v ctthheeinne eds t tueiavrnvnyetece relaryo r. e pidltnma.i m)t.ietohenne ts ahowtif pr w iHtbiheneigltclwseh en eoitnfsh teitsch c feiaei rsnAstcrtel o eslxaoeanrgndiyd or rutieaosln iog ikinoP ptnael,p arpecsueseest. aOp1na9rlgd0!il5ea SnnCR: teioo,s4e mmm6 /n?5ape.«- na4•1rrs.9oe 5,1 m;h; Hi LaasFlo.it sn..n o ,Ud r CeoAsh!ueni.cs nm . 8e Aao2rdn,n.sc dttsS.r1 o9oILN2lnlo 0a'sei u c:nw cyr2ve . 2.ila cY9emt1-buo22irs,r4 a ,kr0 t1e.i.R o 9lihnL0Gt/e 9ia.iod : n4nutBih4 s.a7ecN o-mh4Paleoo7tusan9g tlg.niMies a tumhsIsoen'es lvua GiimcrSrtee,oi en6deks0uns,. til1Bhbi9aaie54dlb1su7. ev. gO ;,l i4o2nsw9n1: -shi97t.aoh”-5n2 e. 4a Tmr0se;hu a ibtn6shj,o e etpcm1 taa9 asp5sstp2ieacre:go1a e5lvt 1hetw-dee1 ax5bsit6my s., w ptahor1nie-rtd3 tta .oe nhntJhti o sei uarnsrrB ,t, i tachpbcleryeuo slnfoA eenosiuifsfaog nrutAm osh .t abosnJert. o u gsedScerioanae.cpesh tehss1-.,. HfCGH. uecaJdr"mss. m ttWioi/rcnennl.sgat r .Cssc s’l1a B.i 0piEjaA.e ibnolllyt1cne.9ly.,.o 2 c2AnD5l7o ee:. up rlna3t1 tde7a9sd 3it1teid-1ca3 i :e S 9O 15pog-r;uf1 ir eri0eeHnr;nc dt.,hc i dqfiB.sGei coerBrh ineAheo se lsslfaAmt-tnrBeosad,et ln roz1oneog9n,t2l ihdoe5iD-m .cGbsiiee,uc i .n d1dhXe2een.cll .l u eG1c8n9r5 ii2s Jeft1uc.i;shh cerlFbnte...
F. Cumont. Les rcli<jious orientates dans le paganisnte romain, 1912; Le mysticisme astral dans l'antiquite. Bull. Ac. Bely., Inventory no. AB 251. R. Campbell Thompson suggested Hippolytus, Elcnchus 1, 2. 12 ; Diodorus. 1. 98 (.about
4th‘ *e4d:.v: .1 5114 , Ife.d, .P Tarlii.s . BLriebitreari.r ieL eoirpizeingt,a lTishte. . WPaeuicl hGere, ut1h9n07e.r, 1929. G19e0u9t:h n2e5r6, -2189469: .Lux pcrpctua, Paris. Librairie orientaliste, Paul Lthuatte thBea btyelxntn iwcna s ta“ balne tsa stirno ntohme icBaold tn. otLe.i b’ raHrye pOuxbfloisrhde, d pii.t m2, oEfg ySpatmiaons ,i ntfhluee nacne coienn tP yCtohpaegronriacsu)s .; cOf.x fTohrd. ,H Cealathre. nAdroins taPrcrehsuss,
London, 1927. 1913; on the alleged contacts of Pythagoras with the Orient,
THE RISE AND TRIUMPH OF ASTROLOGY IN THE LATIN WORLD
THE RISE OF ASTROLOGY IN THE HELLENISTIC WORLD
I- ti;. 1. AB 2S1: Horoscope of April 29, 410 b.c.: BM 33667 (Rm. IV 224) : Horoscope of December IS. 258 b.c.; BM 35516
y. Ill 22) : Horoscope of March 1, 142 B. c.: BM .>4567 ( Sp. 11 39) : Horoscopes ( ?) of three persons Juiy 3. 114 b. c„ January
116, b.c.. December 27, 154 B.C.). From A. Sachs, Babylonian Horoscopes, Jour, of Cuneiform Studies 6, 2 (1952) : 50-57.
Fir.. 2. MLC: Horoscope of April 4, 263 b.c.: MLC 2190: Horoscope of June 3 (morning), 235 B.C.; BM 33741 (Rm. IV
299) : Horoscope of July 3. 230 b. c. The tablets shown in figs. 12 and 13 were computed, translated, and commented upon by A. J.
Sachs of Brown University. These illustrations and texts were published in his Babylonian Horoscopes, Jour, of Cuneiform
Studies 6, 2 (.1952) : 50-75.
8 THE RISE AND TRIUMPH OF ASTROLOGY IN THE LATIN WORLD THE RISE OF ASTROLOGY IN THE HELLENISTIC WORLD 9
of astrological handbooks.'-7 must be dismissed as fables. with other pursuits of the new intelligentsia of Athens.34 circles than among political orators and social scientists Eudoxus the above passage cannot be quoted. Simi­
Nor should one make too much of the intensification At the head of the movement Aristophanes placed of antiquity. larly the Epinomis, added by the editor of Plato’s Laws,
of Greek cultural relations with the Orient during the Socrates (to whom legend subsequently ascribed the Even without personal contact with eastern scholars, probably Philip of Opus,48 does not contain any passage
era of the Persian wars. Even if " Chaldaean priests.” receiving of a Chaldaean's prediction of his future however, the Platonic circle would have had ample which would allow us to assume with certaintv that
including the renowned magus Osthanes -s did accom­ fate) .35 If Plato can be trusted. Socrates not only opportunity of familiarizing itself with oriental develop­ Plato and his circle had been made familiar with horo­
pany the Persian host to Greece in -KSO — a Chaldaean resented the charge of scientific atheism.3* but on occa­ ments in the realms of astronomy, astrology, and cos­ scopal astrology. Nor can any conclusions to that effect
sage at that time was said to have accurately predicted sion even worshipped the sun.37 a far cry from the mology. Fanatical philhellenes most recently have of be drawn from the fact that another disciple of Plato,
to Euripides' father the glorv of the new-born child '-9 “ scientific materialism ” of Anaxagoras. During the course denied any serious influence of this kind upon Heraclides of Pontus, was familiar with the arrange­
—we may safely assume that only small groups like the life-time of Plato (427-347 B.C.) it would no longer the Academic group or other contemporary Greek ment of the planets based on their revolutions.
Pvthagoraeans or similar circles of scholars would have been necessary to undertake prolonged voyages to scholars. They have stressed the Greek contempt ot Aristotle, the most illustrious heir of the Platonic
readily benefit from such opportunities of cultural con­ the Orient in order to acquaint oneself with the evolu­ “ barbarian ” wisdom, characteristic for the declining legacy, expressed in his early writings the cosmological
tacts.31 But the pre-Socratic Greek physicists of the tion of the sciences in that part of the world. Plato era of Greek intellectual development. They are firm mysticism which characterized the late Academy. His
fifth century, among them Democritus (the founder of might for example have learned about Chaldaean and in their ridiculing the tradition ascribing the infiltration subsequent drift towards rationalism can be clearly dis­
the atomic theory of matter) and Anaxagoras, a close Indian ideas on the immortality of the soul38 without of oriental learning into the Greek world of the fourth cerned by a comparison of his fragmentary early dia­
friend of Pericles and the formulator of the theory that necessarily ever leaving Greece.39 Long voyages were century (and before) through extended travel of Greek logue On philosophy with his later treatise On heaven.**
stars were merely glowing pieces of matter, and that it of course ascribed to Ijoth Plato and Eudoxus 40 as they scholars in the near east.45 Whether or not, for ex­ Aristotelian empiricism was not likely to take kindly to
was ‘‘ not possible for matter to be annihilated by divi­ had been to Herodotus or Pythagoras, but it is difficult ample. Eudoxus of Cnidus (ca. 408-355 B.C.), the the revelatory character on which much of Mesopo­
sion ”32 — men of this type were intellectually at least to prove actual journeys and their duration. greatest mathematician of his time and author of an astro- tamian pre-zodiacal or even of the more recent “ scien­
as closely related to the earlier Greek natural philoso­ The whole problem in recent years has undergone a meteorological handbook entitled Phaenomena, owed tific ” astrology was probably based. Assuredly, how­
phers as they were to their own oriental contemporaries. reappraisal, sometimes from purely extraneous motives. his scientific erudition to travel or other contacts with ever, he did contribute to some extent to the evolution
But at any rate, in the age of Democritus and Anax­ Simultaneously no fewer than four authors, most of the Orient49 is immaterial in view of the fact that this of some astrological concepts of the future. His em­
agoras, Mesopotamian scholars established the fixed them unaware of each other’s activities, have reinvesti­ influential member of the Academy (which he joined phasis for example on the importance of the sphere of
arrangement of constellations which we call the zodiac, gated Plato’s alleged oriental voyages. Of these writers after 370 b. c.) was definitely aware of Mesopotamian the fixed stars would lend some support to subsequent
whose earliest known appearance occurred in a cunei­ J. Bidez tended to accept the tradition of Plato's travels hemerology, probably also of omen-astrology, and per­ astrological tenets.5® His acceptance of the geocentric
form text of 419 b. c.3s in the Orient.41 A. Festugiere showed himself more haps already of fatalistic astrology'. Said Cicero (from system may not have necessarily strengthened the scien­
The rapidly rising Greek interest in astronomy pre­ sceptical on this point,42 while J. Kerschensteiner in her Greek sources) : tific astrological theory of Hellenistic days, but at least
pared the ground for the future development of Hellen­ doctoral dissertation4* and more recently W. J. W. psychologically, if not scientifically, it helped support it
Let us now arrive at the performances of the Chaldaeans.
istic astrology. Already towards the end of the fifth Koster have completely denied not only the taking place On them Eudoxus, a student of Plato, who according to by asserting our planet’s singularly important central
century the study of astronomy had become an integral of any such travels, but (particularly in the case of the judgment of the most learned men was by far the most position in the universe. Thus it became easier for
part of “ higher studies ” to such an extent that Aris­ Koster) any oriental influence at all on Plato's phi­ eminent scholar in the field of astrologia. has left his opinion astrologers to insist that the fixed stars, as well as the
tophanes in the Clouds (427 b. c. ) ridiculed it along losophy.4* This shrill protest of enraged philhellenes in writing: “ One must least of all believe the Chaldaeans planets had as one of their chief functions the control
with regard to their detailed prediction of a person's life
against the “ contamination ” of Platonic thought by of mundane affairs. Aristotelian teleology and his ac­
on the basis of the day of his birth.” 47
compare J. Bidez. Eos ou Platon et I'Orient, ch. ii, Brussels, oriental ideas was in itself a reaction to more than two ceptance of the prevailing theories on comets also were
I-inprim. de I'Ac. Royale Bclg., 1945. decades of increasing emphasis of the indebtedness of Cicero, in using this passage as an introduction to his subsequently used to give weight to astrological claims.51
For examples ot “ Pythagorean” tracts, see Cat. 8 (4) : 13;
7:21. One author (Cat. 1:128, 5-6) considered Pythagoras’ fifth and fourth century Greeks to oriental religious and scathing attack on astrology as a technique of divina­ Altogether it can hardly be doubted that by the middle
reputation as an astrologer equal to that of Petosiris or Hermes; cosmological views. The historical truth undoubtedly tion, probably overlooked the fact that in the days of of the fourth century b. c. elements of pre-zodiacal and
cf. Orphicorum fragmenta, ed. 0. Kern: 267-296, 1922. On lies somewhere between the two extremes. At any rate Eudoxus the word “ Chaldaean ” did not—as in Cicero's even of horoscopal astrology' had become known to at
PDyuthheamg,o rLaes ’ sy“s tfeammei lidaur itmy o”n dwc it1h: 5o-2r7ie, netsapl . 5c o(s.,m Poalorgisy., As. eeH ePr­. Greek conceit concerning the inferiority of “ barbarian ” dofa yB—abcyolnonno, teo ra setvroenlo gtheer opnolpyu, labtuiot na lsoof tthhee parrieeas tliyn cgleanss­ least a number of Greek scholars.
mann et Fils, 1913: also E. Frank, Plato und die sogcnannten cultures may have been less pronounced in scientific
Pythagoracer, Halle. M. Niemeyer, 1923. Frank's thesis that eral. From the very text itself it is clear that, while 3. THE RISE OF HELLENISTIC ASTROLOGY
the Pythagorean Philolaus taught a complete astrological system 3* Aristophanes. Clouds, esp. vv. 180 ff. paying due respect to other achievements of the Chal­
as early as the fifth century B. c. was rightly rejected by Boll- 33 Aristotle is the alleged source of this story; Diogenes daeans, Eudoxus took exception only to their predic­ The invasion and destruction of the Persian empire
Bezold-Gundel : 90. Laertius, 2, 5, 24; F. Cumont, Cat. 8 (4) : 199, n. 1. tions based on the day of birth. Such predictions may by Alexander the Great (336-323 b. c. ) intensified but
=* Pliny, .\rat. Hist. 30. 2. 8; on Osthanes, see F. Cumont and 3* Plato, Apology. 5; 14. therefore have been merely the age-old omen astro­ did not inaugurate the cultural exchange between east
2J. vB., idPeazr.i sL, es1 9m38a;g easl shoc lKlc.n isPerse.i seZnodraonazs trien. OREsta n1c8,s , 2e, t 1H, y1s9t4a2s:p cc., 3378 PPalautsoa. nSiaysm. p4o. s3io2n, ,4 .36. logical ones of hemerology. Whether or not Eudoxus and west. Later legend actually went so far as to insist
1610-1642. 3* The Persian Mithridates. for example, may have been meant to refer to the then new development of horo­ “ Diogenes Laertius, 3, 37, stated that Philip finished the Laws.
rcReiEel3an0 tn i1Aoe8,nu. Cs2l2u 1o,bs 7m e.1 Gt.pw Pae1uelr9lbeei4n lu.2 s A:P,B .cv i1.b t5Dhl.1. a e42dgl00a.0o .t -Htr12ee4 a,a Cluni4aEt .csat sunt ddrEae tnOsu sdrmspeuhsitr.it ceP ldcaa i rrtihclsili.tes t se1,lr9 eas1get5eue.n rKdeA. . bpZoyiutehtg alteghroe, ri- lasL1'tOm9aa3etro9uirne teigan u tos,ct f,ho Rep3teh y, cze 2o\ o5 mgfd; r petech aaoiPntsmi h opibpnlhuansirsl leotoo gsfowi oenPpa. s hlt a7ehti3reno.. .m tBShHaeiirrlteatldien n rdis. oieAdnr.i. e sisFcn,e uds2lept1eut,de g,d i1e 9crio4et7m.; : mPD9li.ias ostgoiUoennnn eteisatl csifsocooorulepla datte lh dasa atsp ftaEersoluysldao gogaexyp.u pcslay Tkn hnnoeeon wtla y lb maen woddsh etoe cunpid npeiotvdhs eeerod sn ab alrst hoatreasos dlebeorasgtstiy ois np a oostfs h sseitubhrcelihes­ ToumHfnhi acosMto mincaeatsdues”mts,h ;tS eaoed,Pr l.se “rho caiPctp ilhod uinisolsis,fcp ii piltnollhu efe sE toOruEfapc ptulPiitnsdln ag owt m.otah .isesa. ,n hp dieaI sr,sbt hsoyaeer dpryht.s e i omdFif d rGeibdenyridvte ileeceSkrait ulne mid:dw a a6ittstoh7,h e: m miPscaa hftt.iinh lcioespIt­,.
11 Compare P. Schnabel. Berossos. 224; on the problem in ‘“For example Strabo. 17. I. 29 (i. 806) ; Diogenes Laertius, definition of astrology is used. As evidence for a spe­ 1: 155.
general, see F. Boll, Die Erforschung der antiken Astrologie, 8, 87. The length of the alleged journeys varied from sixteen cific knowledge of horoscopal astrology on the part of ** W. Jaeger, Aristoteles, esp.: 136 ff.; 156 ff.; 158 f., Berlin,
Jahrh. f. d. klass. Altertum. 21, 1908: 103-126. months to thirteen years. Weidmann, 1923.
!2 Hippolytus, Elcnchus. 1, 8, <>; compare H. Diels, Die Frag- “ J. Bidez, Eos .... esp. ch. iii: 21 ff. “ See above, ch. i, n. 34. '* Boll-Bezold-Gundel: 21; compare also Cumont-Bidez, Les
mentc der Vorsokratiker, 1:314; 316; 321. and 384; also 29 ff. *■' A. Festugiere, op. cit.: 5-45. esp. 44 f. “ Compare Aristotle, de caelo 2, 12 (f. 292 A, 7; Strabo, 17. mages hcllcnises, 2:247, f. 19, n. 1; of ancient authors, see
J3 O. eugebauer. The exact sciences . ... 97; cf. A. Rehm, *’J. Kerschensteiner. Platon und dcr Orient: 44 ff.; 192 ff., 1, 29 (f. 806) ; Bidez, Eos . . ., ch. iv; Festugiere, op. cit., 17: Pliny, A'at. Hist. 30, 2, 3; Diogenes Laertius, 1. pr., 8.
Parapegmastudien, Abh. d. Bavcr. Ak„ Phil.-Hist. Abt., N\ F. Stuttgart. Kohlhaminer. 1945. 44; Koster, op. cit.: 25 ff. 51 Aristotle, de meteor. 1, 6; VV. Gundel, RE, 11, 1922: c.
19. 1919 : 22 f. “ W. J. W. Koster, Le mythc de Platon . . ., esp.: 82 ff. *’ Cicero, de divinatione, 2, 87. 1143 ff.
10 THE RISE AND TRIUMPH OF ASTROLOGY IN THE LATIN WORLD THE RISE OF ASTROLOGY IN THE HELLENISTIC WORLD 11
that Philip of Macedon and Olympias, the parents of the other hand, the conflict between Greek rationalism, Babylon remained the topic of a standard classroom it would — at least according to astrological opinion —
Alexander, had employed an Egyptian [Wc/] astrologer, represented by the philosopher Anaxarchus and his recitation."2 never have developed into the long-lived and flourishing
Nectanebos, as earlv as 356 b. c. when their son was colleagues in Alexander's entourage, and the Babvlonian At any rate there can be little doubt that Alexander city as which we know it. Fatalistic astrology as op­
about to Ik- lx>m. a practice not infrequent in subsequent priests, who maintained in the very face of the victor and his political heirs received their full share of prophe­ posed to its catarchic sister was. however, in this in­
times with well-to-do parents. Nectanelx>s at the bed­ the superiority of their “ age-old ” divinatory tech­ cies.6" many of which undoubtedly were made by astrol­ stance. brilliantly vindicated."9 Inexplicably, inspired by
side of queen Olympias advised her to protract the birth niques. Diodorus described the scene, probablv fol­ ogers.'54 Antigonus for example in his incipient struggle a contagious enthusiasm, the workmen suddenly began
psworhe evthnaa iltt, h heteh rmu sco hsaitls dsa uuwrsiponuigcl diot hubese ; cnboeonwms-t! exal>lta mttih oeinn pfparnoects sisiabe lesmp olwemnodueilnddt lfolowuirnigs h:Ptolemy I’s or Aristobulus’ account, in great wSeitlheu chuiss frlievda lt,o SPetloeluecmuys,: rejoiced when in 316 b. c. bu.i l.d i.n gT hoep ehrearatilodns s wphroi otrr ietod ttoh es taoppp othienmte dw ehroe unro:t able
gfuutaurraen.5te- einOgl ytmhep igalso rbyr awvheilcyh rwetaasr dteod b et hAe lebxiratnhd, ehre’sn.ce staot-Wicoanhll eeindn C[aAshtalreoldxloaaegnaydn esbr—]e iwnwgha osa ch3cau0v0set o somtbaetddaii ensteo d f prtorhemed ihcBitg ahtbheyesl to fnur etupthruee­ qifu Behneuc te e tvhweeron u leltdht eS beCel hetuahcladutas e aaelnsl sc aAcpaseim af er wotmoo u hlhdiim s b heacanondmd sfe,o rtsehuteob ljdceo ctnt hsateot­ tmhoa avddioen gsi onf.q iru.s it.r ys. ecoSuf reeltehdue c au msp.ar ogbmie iicnsoegn octrfeo ruinmbinlpegud n hiitinys , hcriiset pyml,i eiandnd. d, “ aTtghhaeiaynt,
When he invaded the Persian realm, the Persian on the basis of age-old observations—chose from their midst Seleucus. and that Antigonus himself would lose his life which is fated, o king, . . . neither man nor city can change,
king's diviners were of course hard put to explain the oldest and most experienced men. because they knew in a battle against him. . . . Although Antigonus was ac­ for there is a fate for cities, as well as for men! ”70
the conqueror’s successes. The Chaldaeans for instance through the prediction of the stars (rUv currtpmv /xavreui?) customed to despise prophecies of this kind on other occa­ The concept that cities like kings and empires had
shrewdly warned Darius III that “ the Persian empire that the king's death would occur in Babylon, and instructed sions. he was not a little troubled at this time, being dis­ a predictable future was a logical development of earlier
would fall to those whose arms he had copied.”5S h[tihmo steo menetne]r tthoe rceivtyea nl otto atth eal lk. innog mthaet tedra nfgroemr awndh atto d iurregce­ ttou rbpeodss ebsys tah eg rreeaptu tdaetaiol no fo fe xthpee rmieennc.e aFndo r toth meya kaer et hree pmutoesdt Mesopotamian omen astrology and hemerology. The
Inasmuch as Darius had tried to imitate Greek methods tion. He might, however, escape the danger, if he would exact observations from the stars."5 introduction of horoscopal astrology would necessarily
of warfare his fall .could now be satisfactorily accounted rebuild the tomb of Belus which had been destroyed by the It may be noted that the source of Diodorus mentioned add to those traditional techniques an emphasis on “ the
for. With the successful conquest of the Persian em­ Persians if he then approached the city on the planned constellation of the decisive moment,” be it the moment
pire the relations between the Chaldaeans and their new route.5® the general scepticism of Antigonus in order to con­ of conception or birth for human beings, or the official
trast it with his worried acceptance of the astrological
ruler, Alexander, were soon established on a friendly founding of a new city. Even if the- Seleucus incident
Alexander, however, suspected that this was merely warning.
basis. True to his cosmopolitan ideals, Alexander went were a later legend, the casting of city-horoscopes at
a ruse to prevent him from interfering with their ac­ Similarly Antigonus’ foe. the most successful of the
out of his way to woo and cajole the influential priestly the end of the Hellenistic era had become a recognized
tivities in Babylon.57 Nevertheless he seems to have late Alexander’s commanders. Seleucus Nicanor (321-
groups throughout his realm. In turn, the Chaldaeans, astrological technique. This was attested by Cicero and
changed his route of approach and actually entered the 281 B.C.), must have pondered whether or not Chal­
at least according to Hellenistic tradition, were willing subsequently by Plutarch. They recorded the “ suc­
city from the west.’18 More important still, he left the daean astrologers possessed some strangely accurate
to put their divinatory prowess at Alexander's disposal.5* cessful ” attempt of L. Tarutius Firmanus. a friend of
town without any harm soon afterwards “ having thus fore-knowledge derived from their observation of the
The common source (from which Diodorus, Pomponius both Cicero and Varro, to reconstruct (!) from the
proved the falsity of the prophecy of the Chaldaeans.”59 skies, when he saw the body of his opponent, Antigonus,
M(seeclao nd(m cidendtlue ryo f at.hde. ) fierxstc ecrepntetudr yw haa.td .a)p, paanredn tAlyr rhiaand dHrealmleantiiszteicd rtohme aenptiicsiosdme wina st ynpoict asla tfiasfsiheido nw. ithT hthuiss . thIet pmroorsetoravteer , own ast hree pboarttteldef iteold hainv e 3c0o1n subl. tce.d"6 BaSbeylleounciuasn, ghalovrei opurse vhaiislteodr ya to fi tsR oomffiec iathl ee sctoanbslitsehllmateionnt. 71w hiTcoh wmhuastt
become by then a standard illustration of Chaldaean head of the Chaldaean embassy, not daring to speak to astrologers (called magi by our late source of informa­ extent the growing interest in stars and constellations
astrological warnings to Alexander)55 emphasized, on Alexander directly, imparted his warning to the king's tion in the second century a. d.) when founding his new oinf Hmeolnleenyi, stbice atriimnge s pblaenceatmarey reosrp oznosdiibalcea lf osry mthbeo lcso, inminayg
trusted friend, Nearchus, who in turn informed Alex­ city Seleuceia not far from Babylon. The Chaldaeans
M For an English translation of the Syriac version of Pseudo- ander. The Macedonian, greatly perturbed, was unde­ may have feared — and rightly — that Seleuceia would be conjectural, but the coinage of Syrian cities72 and
Callisthenes whence the figure of the astrologer Nectanebos Hellenistic mints, especially the one at Alexandria73 did
cided what to do. Thereupon, Anaxarchus and some eventually eclipse Babylon—a development which led to
stems, see A. W. Budge, The history of Alexander the Great', produce numerous examples of this type of emblem.
Cambridge, 1889; compare also Ryssel, Archiv fuer die neueren other Greek philosophers successfully prevailed upon the complete abandonment of the ancient metropolis in Even the most confirmed sceptic should allow that
Sprachen 90, 1893; A. Hilka. Der Zauberer Neptanebus nach him to shake off this weak-kneed faith in prophecies, the first century.67 Seleucus asked the magi to name
einem bisher unbekannten Erfurter Text, Festschrift cur Jahr- especially Chaldaean ones, observing that “ if things an auspicious hour for the official founding ceremonies. purely scientific enthusiasm for astronomy alone would
hundertfeier der koeniglichen Uniz'ersitaet su Breslau: 197 and were fixed by Fate, they were unknown to mortals, and He thus evinced his belief in at least catarchic (from hardly account for this phenomenon although the direct
elsewhere, Breslau, 1911; O. Weinreich, Der Trug des Sek- connection, if any, between astrology and this numis­
tanebos; Berlin and Leipzig, 1911; F. Boll, Sulla quarta ecloga if they were dependent upon the course of nature, were the Greek aptf — beginning) astrology", which did not matic development still remains to be ascertained.74
di Virgilio, Memorie delle science dell Istituto di Bologna. Cl. unchangeable.”,l0 Nor can it be surprising that ro­ consider the influence of constellations as irrevokable,
di scienze morali. second series, 5-7, 1920-1923: 1 ff.; Boll-Bezold- mance and legend endowed Alexander himself eventu­ but merely as favorable or unfavorable to the success Seleucus was “ destined ” to found a city which would
aHicGsse eutnvrrntoamudrlroieeyogsl u: eos51rl9f 5y .w3 o;1ah u9sor21cm 94rei6 b:r tafeh4..d7e ; 4 ytA-Wo4ol7 u.et7 nhx.Kg ea nTrplodahrletielenr, chPAeiis—st lotebolaxelrtaami cmntahadeliee dc rr asopfg moeeGrr ai oeontfbdch ue tew or otrd ef le itvmAaoet —hlteR hxieoosa fm n fsditaarheinsdert. ataSalselttyivroo enwlro uibgtshey c,(d aaomivr.edidn e.es ro,e1 do9fo r3a r-am 2lta1 idlr1ega)aeb.s ltceh o mimtlhlaesagcetit lciftoa hlnae p oefofemw rmvpeeearnsgr.oti cra bTlSeh lewiipser tviiretmeirnp iguuinss­ ocaonf n Tsfuphiengeclu uimfrciackat ivgho iun hdm.6oe8aucnird ueadns dtteohr etta rkitciimkn getsh etuo nk dilnaeygr .a t hpTea hrcteioycm ugleaarrv- seat sohtnriamel. pLtAhreni7ocs0ts ilApeosercptcrhop.q,ri ya:w n.3 .e6 8Fd,U oon, r . p 9o1a, s nsd5oeo8tsuhs; beatrcs, o fmmwoupuitcnahhrd e ag ltoaiDootendiro ,d ronoefara ustaoSsl,ne ,lc e2tou,h nceu3s t1sae.,u llt2ahtht;ei eno tBnicc;o iitutcyyco h mooe­f-f
tthoe h fauvteil iptyu sohfe dh iso faf satr owloalgli cina l ocrrdaefrt wtoh dicehm hoands tnraotte “t ofo trheew ascrnheodla "r to be enclosed in Alexander's tomb which he had Had Seleuceia been founded according to their advice pare Cat. 9, 2 (1953): 178. The city was allegedly officially
him of such a fate; compare on this episode A. H. Krappe, opened.*1 Meanwhile for centuries Alexander’s scepti­ *5 Seneca, Suasoriae, 4, dealt with it in detail. fou71n dCeidc eoron, Mdea yd i2v2in, a3t0i0o nbe. c2..; 4M7,a l9a8la; s P(l3udta. rBcho,n Rn)o m8:u 2lu0s9,. 12, 3.
eTsipb.e r3i6u3s. and Thrasyllus, Amer. Jour. Phil. 48, 1927 : 359-366, cism concerning the warnings about his entry into “ Arrian. 7, 18; Diodorus, 2, 31, 2. For a sample of natal horoscopes of cities, see the horoscopes
Q. Curtius Rufus, 3. 3, 4. *4 Diodorus, 17, 112, 2 ff. of Constantinople, Antioch, Alexandria, Gaza. Caesarea. Nepolis
54 They were often referred to as magi; see for example Jus- Alexandergeschichte des Koenigs Ptolemaeus von Aegypten, 0959 IbiCdo. m19p,a r5e5 , fo6rf fe.xample Diodorus, frgm. 21, 1, Iff.; Plutarch, (in7S PCaolmesptainree )F .i nC Cumato. n9t,. 2A:s tr1o7l7o-1g7y9 .a ndS eree laiglsioo nn: o8te1 .74.
«tPi>nr eumssas, .g 1i1c29 , 1fr61o.3m; ALpaptiina nl,i te1r1a, t9u,r e5:8 ;1 fcfo.,m Npeawre YEo. rkT,a Cveonlunmerb, iSa tUudniievs. Le5i7p AzDirgior idaaonnrd,u s7B,, e11r77l,,i n11. 1fTf2.,e u2b fnf.er, 1935. Eu408m7 AcSn trcpasob,e om1,9 ,1 r62e,.p i1 , K6a r(af.p x7v3*9 )b y; CMasasxiiums uDs io(.o fe pE., p6h8e, s3u0s.( ?1.), fourth aLloe7nx1 daConfnd. .r iLn1i9.s 1c6hA:e nnSs oaMng,nl ieoXn-sPuemont,it se1mr:, a1st1a.v8 .f Gfz..or aSdeitacuacttt tgs6a:: r 1tI.0 f\4fV8.;.; KJn.o ohVsl.ho agm1t2, m6D effire.,,
7, “16J ufs.;t inQu.s . Cluocrt. iucsit .:R uDfiuosd, o5ru, s,1 , 2,1 93 1a, n2d; 2127., 1F12o, r 2 tfhfe. ; fArirernidanly, ” LIboicd.. .c i7t,. 22. 1. ccehnatruarcyt eari.s dti.c) s soufr vtihviess .s upIet rgstiivteios na. gTohoed aiduetha oorf atshcer iabsetdro alo gdieccai­l 1(9a2.d4,. d1e3a8lt- 16w1i)t.h Tsuhceh gcroaidnuagael ainsc ethned anreciyg no fo ft hAe nsteonn incuusl t Pwiuass
froelra tiinosntsa nbceet wAerernia nA,l e3x, an16d,e rS ;t h7e, G11r,e a8t; acnj.d Eo.r ieKnotaml epmriaeimsts, , Dseiee “ JCuasstsiniuuss , D1i2o,, e1p3.; 7i6n (g7r5e)a,t e1r3 , d2e.tail Diodorus, 17, 112, 3ff. s1i9v2e1 , csat.avr.c hKiacr ainpfxliuie, ncc.e 2t4o8 4th; eB mouocohne; -Lcoecmlepracrqe: F4.5 8B-5o1lt1,. RE 10, ref7l4e cTthede aflosuon dine rtsh eo fc oBinaaggdea do,f Othme alar teerl RToambaarni eamndp irIeb.rahim el