Astrology is one of the oldest continuously-practiced symbolic systems. Its history is long but its main turns are simple to remember.
Babylon — the foundation
Around 2,000 BCE, Babylonian priests recorded planetary positions and tied them to omens for the king. The 12-sign zodiac is their invention.
Hellenistic Greece — personalisation
Around the 2nd century BCE, Hellenistic astrologers in Egypt invented the natal chart. For the first time astrology became personal, not royal.
The Arab world — preservation
Between roughly 800 and 1200, Arab and Persian scholars preserved and extended Hellenistic astrology, adding new techniques.
Europe — and the long pause
Astrology was a serious university subject in medieval Europe. It declined with the Scientific Revolution and survived in private circles.
Today — the revival
Modern astrology, since the 20th century, integrates psychology and is increasingly accessible online. See our short history of key terms.
