Brief ASTROLOGY TIMELINE
4242 BC Egyptian calendar in use, marking 12 months of 30 days each for a year of 360 days.
4000 BC Mesopotamia is the original home of astrology. Ziggurats, built by the Sumerians, are the first astrological observatories in the world. Astrologists keep track of the Sun, the Moon and 5 planets that they can see. What they learn is written in cuneiform on tablets of clay.
3500 BC Astronomical observations taking place in Mesopotamia, China and Egypt.
3000 BC Egyptian calendar is revised to 365 days.
2872 BC Astrologer priests are used by Sargon of Akkad to predict the future.
2700 BC In Egypt, the Great Pyramid of Khufu is constructed following factors based on astronomy.
2350 BC Solar and lunar eclipses are recorded by the Akkadians. Sargon creates summaries of these records onto 70 tablets. As his heirs continue to add to this database, it becomes known as the Namman-Bel.
2000 BC Babylonia replaces Sumeria. Astrologers in Babylon create zodiac signs and device accurate astronomical calculations.
4000 BC Mesopotamia is the original home of astrology. Ziggurats, built by the Sumerians, are the first astrological observatories in the world. Astrologists keep track of the Sun, the Moon and 5 planets that they can see. What they learn is written in cuneiform on tablets of clay.
3500 BC Astronomical observations taking place in Mesopotamia, China and Egypt.
3000 BC Egyptian calendar is revised to 365 days.
2872 BC Astrologer priests are used by Sargon of Akkad to predict the future.
2700 BC In Egypt, the Great Pyramid of Khufu is constructed following factors based on astronomy.
2350 BC Solar and lunar eclipses are recorded by the Akkadians. Sargon creates summaries of these records onto 70 tablets. As his heirs continue to add to this database, it becomes known as the Namman-Bel.
2000 BC Babylonia replaces Sumeria. Astrologers in Babylon create zodiac signs and device accurate astronomical calculations.
1250 BC Egypt's Ramses II assigns fixed cardinal points in Aries, Cancer, Libra and Capricorn.
700 BC The priests of Babylon create an ecliptic that they divide into 12 sections of 30 degrees each. These become the zodiac divisions.
670 BC Assyria's King Assurbanipal expands the astrological library at Ninevah.
668 BC The earliest surviving horoscope was cast in this year.
600 BC Astrology spreads from Babylonia to Greece, Egypt and the rest of the Middle East.
535 BC Pythagoras sets up a colony to learn about astrology, numerology and the occult arts.
475 BC The four elements of Earth, Fire, Water and Air are introduced into astrology as the 4-fold root of everything by Empedocles of Agrigentum. He theorized that nothing can be created or destroyed, only transformed.
460 BC Hippocrates studies the human body using astrological principles to relate the rhythms of the universe.
409 BC The oldest Babylonian horoscope dates from this time.
370 BC Eudoxus of Cnidus creates calendars using the zodiac with all 12 equal zodiac signs.
330 BC Alexander the Great spreads the knowledge of astrology throughout the Middle East. Greece personalizes astrology.
300 BC Greek astrology is introduced to India.
290 BC The legendary Alexandria becomes the center of astrological research.
250 BC Achinapolus and Antipatrus teach medical astrology based on the teachings of Berosus. They begin to experiment with natal horoscopes.
700 BC The priests of Babylon create an ecliptic that they divide into 12 sections of 30 degrees each. These become the zodiac divisions.
670 BC Assyria's King Assurbanipal expands the astrological library at Ninevah.
668 BC The earliest surviving horoscope was cast in this year.
600 BC Astrology spreads from Babylonia to Greece, Egypt and the rest of the Middle East.
535 BC Pythagoras sets up a colony to learn about astrology, numerology and the occult arts.
475 BC The four elements of Earth, Fire, Water and Air are introduced into astrology as the 4-fold root of everything by Empedocles of Agrigentum. He theorized that nothing can be created or destroyed, only transformed.
460 BC Hippocrates studies the human body using astrological principles to relate the rhythms of the universe.
409 BC The oldest Babylonian horoscope dates from this time.
370 BC Eudoxus of Cnidus creates calendars using the zodiac with all 12 equal zodiac signs.
330 BC Alexander the Great spreads the knowledge of astrology throughout the Middle East. Greece personalizes astrology.
300 BC Greek astrology is introduced to India.
290 BC The legendary Alexandria becomes the center of astrological research.
250 BC Achinapolus and Antipatrus teach medical astrology based on the teachings of Berosus. They begin to experiment with natal horoscopes.
200 BC Astrology for predicting the future appears in Rome.
100 BC The Essenes develop the Qabbalah and esoteric astrology.
60 BC First school of astrology opens in Rome.
7 BC Three Magi astrologers predict the birth of Christ.
117 Hadrian, Emperor of Rome, casts his own horoscopes.
150 Ptolemy pens The Tetrabiblios, a comprehensive tome on astrology.
400 Library of Alexandria is destroyed, including many of the world's texts on astrology.
474 European astrology in decline after the Fall of the Roman Empire.
600 The Church condemns astrology and tries to suppress it.
700 Monks study astrology in secret in monasteries.
750 Muslim astrologers revive Greek astrology.
1200 The University of Bologna is the center for learning medical astrology.
1250 Ancient magic and astrology is linked in the Speculum Astronomiae by Roger Bacon. Thomas Aquinas accepts the philosophical aspect found in astrology. The most famous astrologer at this time is Guidi Bonati. Emperor Frederick II consults astrologer Michael Scot. Astrology is taught at Cambridge University in England.
1280 Johannes Campanus works for Pope Urban IV and develops a new way to divide astrological houses.
1400 The invention of the printing press allows mass production of astrological writings to be distributed in Europe. Astrologers served many royal families in England, Italy, France and Austria. The Vatican promotes the instruction of astrology.
1450 Famous astrologers of this time period: Charles the V of France and Pope Sixtus IV.
1474 The first ephemeris is printed in Nuremberg, Germany.
100 BC The Essenes develop the Qabbalah and esoteric astrology.
60 BC First school of astrology opens in Rome.
7 BC Three Magi astrologers predict the birth of Christ.
117 Hadrian, Emperor of Rome, casts his own horoscopes.
150 Ptolemy pens The Tetrabiblios, a comprehensive tome on astrology.
400 Library of Alexandria is destroyed, including many of the world's texts on astrology.
474 European astrology in decline after the Fall of the Roman Empire.
600 The Church condemns astrology and tries to suppress it.
700 Monks study astrology in secret in monasteries.
750 Muslim astrologers revive Greek astrology.
1200 The University of Bologna is the center for learning medical astrology.
1250 Ancient magic and astrology is linked in the Speculum Astronomiae by Roger Bacon. Thomas Aquinas accepts the philosophical aspect found in astrology. The most famous astrologer at this time is Guidi Bonati. Emperor Frederick II consults astrologer Michael Scot. Astrology is taught at Cambridge University in England.
1280 Johannes Campanus works for Pope Urban IV and develops a new way to divide astrological houses.
1400 The invention of the printing press allows mass production of astrological writings to be distributed in Europe. Astrologers served many royal families in England, Italy, France and Austria. The Vatican promotes the instruction of astrology.
1450 Famous astrologers of this time period: Charles the V of France and Pope Sixtus IV.
1474 The first ephemeris is printed in Nuremberg, Germany.
1550 Catherine de Medici often takes consultation with astrologers Ruggieri, Gauric and Nostradamus.
1552 Martin Luther shows his support of astrology by writing the preface to Lichtenberger's astrology book.
1555 Nostradamus rises to fame.
1570 Queen Elizabeth employs John Dee as her astrologer. He helps design the Gregorian calendar.
1610 Francis Bacon decries personal astrology while using divinatory astrology on groups of people. The astrology of mental illness is studied by Richard Burton. Six books on astrology are written by Tommaso Campanella in accordance with Church teachings. Shakespeare popularizes astrology by referring to it in his plays.
1610 Astronomers Kepler and Galileo both dabble in astrology.
1645 Nicolas Culpepper uses astrology to practice medicine. He uses herbal astrology and writes many books.
1650 William Lilly produces Christian Astrology.
1666 The Great Fire of London occurs as predicted by Lilly with astrology.
1733 Poor Richard's Almanack is published by Benjamin Franklin, containing many astrological forecasts.
1770 Christopher Witt, a physician and astrologer, assists Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington to choose the best designs, places and times in which to create the United States of America.
1816 James Wilson publishes A Complete Dictionary of Astrology. This book provides basic information for anyone to interpret charts for the first time.
1825 Raphael, aka Robert C. Smith, publishes the Manual of Astrology and prints an ephemeris that people still use today. He launched the first astrological publishing house to great success.
1862 Frances Rolleston writes Mazzaroth, which explains all references to the zodiac in the Bible.
1875 The Theosophical Society is founded in New York by Helena Blavatsky.
1880 Richard Garnett attacks astrologers for not using astrology as a science.
1889 Olney Richmond founds the Order of the Magi in Chicago, based on Christian occult astrology.
1890 Astrological Magazine, later Modern Astrology, is first published.
1901 The Portland School of Astrology in Oregon and the Llewellyn Publications Company are founded.
1908 The Rosicrucian Fellowship is founded. It becomes known for its ephemeris and Table of Houses.
1931 Evangeline Adams uses astrology to predict that the United States will be involved in a great war in 1942.
1966 Every major newspaper in the West publishes astrological forecasts.
A revival of interest in astrology and other occult topics occurs.
1967 Andre Barbault, under the pseudonym of Astroflash, designs a computer program to cast horoscopes.
1975 Astrology becomes modernized. It becomes computerized and is affected by Carl Jung's philosophy.
1976 Robert Hand becomes one of the first astrologers to use a microcomputer and offers a computerized astrological service. He later launches Astro-Graphic Services, which later becomes Astrolabe astrological computing service.
1980 Many of the astrological businesses enter the New Age lifestyle, adding organic foods, crystals, herbal remedies and more to their repertoire.
1990 Computerized astrology rules supreme in astrological circles. Five main companies lead the pack: Matrix Software, Astrolabe Software, Time Cycles, Air Software and Cosmic Patterns. Programs are downloadable from the Internet.
1890 Astrological Magazine, later Modern Astrology, is first published.
1901 The Portland School of Astrology in Oregon and the Llewellyn Publications Company are founded.
1908 The Rosicrucian Fellowship is founded. It becomes known for its ephemeris and Table of Houses.
1931 Evangeline Adams uses astrology to predict that the United States will be involved in a great war in 1942.
1966 Every major newspaper in the West publishes astrological forecasts.
A revival of interest in astrology and other occult topics occurs.
1967 Andre Barbault, under the pseudonym of Astroflash, designs a computer program to cast horoscopes.
1975 Astrology becomes modernized. It becomes computerized and is affected by Carl Jung's philosophy.
1976 Robert Hand becomes one of the first astrologers to use a microcomputer and offers a computerized astrological service. He later launches Astro-Graphic Services, which later becomes Astrolabe astrological computing service.
1980 Many of the astrological businesses enter the New Age lifestyle, adding organic foods, crystals, herbal remedies and more to their repertoire.
1990 Computerized astrology rules supreme in astrological circles. Five main companies lead the pack: Matrix Software, Astrolabe Software, Time Cycles, Air Software and Cosmic Patterns. Programs are downloadable from the Internet.