Origins of Modern Astrology

Where did astrology originate from?

Who invented astrology?

Who thought of making the 12 zodiac signs?

These are the questions that lead me down a rabbit hole of stars.

Some things are very clear. Astrology has been around for centuries and was prominent in many ancient civilizations. The study of this subject has survived into modern culture and is a huge interest in many lives still today. Most civilizations had some form of astrology in their culture. Real talk why wouldn’t they be fascinated with the stars and planets? Heck, a lot of people are still highly fascinated by the stars. The universe stretches further than we will likely ever be able to discover. These beautiful and fascinating objects seem to float over the world each day and night. They must have significance, right? As my research over the years goes on, I find Astrology was more present throughout history and in many cultures than I realized in my youth. Many ancient civilizations' structures were designed to use the sun, the moon, and stars to tell them many things.

In this article, I will focus on the ancient world and where astrology seems to have originated. I believe however it did not originate with the Babylonians but they may have started the ideas of modern astrology. Today's form of Astrology seems to be a mixture of Babylonian, Greek, and Roman culture.

Sumerians, Babylonians, and Beyond

There is speculation that Astrology first started with the Sumerians in the 3rd millennium BC, however, it appears there is little evidence to support this as fact. Interestingly, there are Sumerian names given in some Babylonian Astrological texts, which would suggest there might be something to the theory. Old text from Babylonian dates the appearance of Astrology in 1800 BC. This is also referred to by some experts as Mesopotamian Astrology. This is a name that the Greeks gave to this area which translates to the land between two rivers. The city of Babylon is the most well-known city in this area. Babylonian astrology evolved into a complex system involving planetary omens and celestial divination. It was primarily used for state affairs and predicting events like eclipses or royal outcomes, not the personal horoscopes that are popular today. Babylonian charts often merged what we now call Libra and Scorpio into one sign or omitted Libra entirely. Pisces being a sparrow is a fascinating note. Babylonian symbols often differed from modern ones.

Astrology likely began in Mesopotamia, with the earliest organized systems appearing in Babylon around the 2nd millennium BCE. The Venus Tablet of Ammisaduqa (c. 1700 BCE) is one of the oldest known astrological records.

Greek and Roman Contribution

There are some differences between the modern Zodiac and Babylonian Astrology. The Zodiacs correspond with the 12 constellations that the Sun travels through. This is where you hear what your Sun sign is. This means where the Sun was when you were born. The word Zodiac actually came from the Greeks meaning "circle of animals". The Greeks formalized the twelve-sign zodiac based on the Sun’s path through constellations (the ecliptic). The calendar had a 12-month year and each month was represented by a sign. It appears the Greeks changed some things after conquering Mesopotamia. The Greeks transformed astrology into a personal system. Around 280 BCE, Babylonian priest Berossus taught astrology on the Greek island of Kos, introducing it to the Hellenistic world.

Beliefs and Planetary Associations

Babylonians associated planets with gods: Venus with Ishtar, Mars with Nergal, Jupiter with Marduk. These associations were tied to divine will and fate. They believed celestial bodies had power, not just symbolic meaning. The Sun and Moon were seen as active forces influencing earthly events. The belief was that The Gods controlled their fate and that the stars would reveal what that fate would be. They associated various characteristics will each planet.

Babylonian astrology involved the sun, moon, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Saturn, and Venus. Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto were unknown until modern astronomy.

Structures and Celestial Alignment

Many ancient structures were aligned with celestial events. Examples include:

• Stonehenge (England) aligned with solstices.

• Newgrange (Ireland) aligned with the winter solstice sunrise.

• Egyptian pyramids and Mayan temples also reflect astronomical precision.