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Antiochus Of Athens
Antiochus of Athens ( grc-gre, Ἀντίοχος ὁ Ἀθηναῖος) was an influential Hellenistic astrologer who flourished sometime between the late 1st and mid 2nd century AD. There is some disagreement as to when he lived and wrote. Franz Cumont and others have argued that he lived as early as the 1st century BC, while David Pingree placed him as late as the end of the 2nd century AD.David Pingree, ''Antiochus and Rhetorius'', Classical Philology, Vol. 72, No. 3, July, 1977, pp.203-223. The one agreed datum is that Antiochus is referenced by Porphyry (234-c. 305 AD),Porphyry, ''Introduction to Ptolemy's Tetrabiblos'', chapter 38; ''Catalogus Codicum Astrologorum Graecorum'' 5 part 4, p.210, line 6. and so Antiochus must have lived before the death of Porphyry. All the writings of Antiochus are now lost, but substantial fragments and extracts remain. The works ascribed to him are a ''Thesaurus'' (Treasuries), an Introduction (''Eisagogika'') to astrology, and also an ast ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hellenistic Civilization
In Classical antiquity, the Hellenistic period covers the time in History of the Mediterranean region, Mediterranean history after Classical Greece, between the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and the emergence of the Roman Empire, as signified by the Battle of Actium in 31 BC and the conquest of Ptolemaic Kingdom, Ptolemaic Egypt the following year. The Ancient Greek word ''Hellas'' (, ''Hellás'') was gradually recognized as the name of Greece, name for Greece, from which the word ''Hellenistic'' was derived. "Hellenistic" is distinguished from "Hellenic" in that the latter refers to Greece itself, while the former encompasses all ancient territories under Greek influence, in particular the East after the conquests of Alexander the Great. After the Macedonian invasion of the Achaemenid Empire in 330 BC and its disintegration shortly after, the Hellenistic kingdoms were established throughout Southwest Asia, south-west Asia (Seleucid Empire, Attalid dynasty, Kingdom of Pe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ptolemy
Claudius Ptolemy (; grc-gre, Πτολεμαῖος, ; la, Claudius Ptolemaeus; AD) was a mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist, who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were of importance to later Byzantine, Islamic, and Western European science. The first is the astronomical treatise now known as the '' Almagest'', although it was originally entitled the ''Mathēmatikē Syntaxis'' or ''Mathematical Treatise'', and later known as ''The Greatest Treatise''. The second is the ''Geography'', which is a thorough discussion on maps and the geographic knowledge of the Greco-Roman world. The third is the astrological treatise in which he attempted to adapt horoscopic astrology to the Aristotelian natural philosophy of his day. This is sometimes known as the ''Apotelesmatika'' (lit. "On the Effects") but more commonly known as the '' Tetrábiblos'', from the Koine Greek meaning "Four Books", or by its Latin equivalent ''Quadrip ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Arabian Parts
In astrology, the Arabian/Arabic parts or lots are constructed points based on mathematical calculations of three horoscopic entities such as planets or angles. The distance between two of the points is added to the position of the third (very often the ascendant) to derive the location of the lot. History The lots are a very ancient astrological technique which can be traced back to pre-Hellenistic sources. Their origin is obscure; they could originally be Babylonian, Ancient Egyptian, Magian, Persian or Hermetic, but by the time of Dorotheus of Sidon in the first century A.D. (and probably earlier) they had become an established tenet of Hellenistic astrological practice. One of the best informational sources for the lots is the ''Introduction'' to astrology by fourth-century astrologer Paulus Alexandrinus and the ''Commentary'' on this work by sixth-century philosopher Olympiodorus the Younger. Paulus used a dozen or so major lots for almost every aspect of his analysis. Th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Heliacal Rising
The heliacal rising ( ) or star rise of a star occurs annually, or the similar phenomenon of a planet, when it first becomes visible above the eastern horizon at dawn just before sunrise (thus becoming "the morning star") after a complete orbit of the earth around the sun. Historically, the most important such rising is that of Sirius, which was an important feature of the Egyptian calendar and astronomical development. The rising of the Pleiades heralded the start of the Ancient Greek sailing season, using celestial navigation. Cause and significance Relative to the stars, the sun appears to drift eastward about one degree per day along a path called the ecliptic because there are 360 degrees in any complete revolution (circle), which takes about 365 days in the case of one revolution of the earth around the sun. Any given "distant" star in the belt of the ecliptic will be visible at night for only half of the year, when it will always remain below the horizon. During the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Reception (astrology)
In astrology, reception is a condition where one planet is located in a sign where a second planet has astrological dignity--for example, a sign which the second planet rules or in which it is exalted, or where the second planet is the triplicity In astrology, a triplicity is a group of three signs belonging to the same element. Trines Western astrology assumes that each sign of the same triplicity is 120 degrees apart, forming angles to one another called trines, which are each equival ... ruler. In such a case, the first planet is said to be "received" by the dignified planet, and this relationship was seen by ancient and medieval astrologers to function in a similar way to that of host and guest. The dignified planet is strong, and hence provides support and assistance to the second planet which falls within its purview. Sometimes this relationship is mutual—that is, each planet is in each other's sign of dignity. This condition is called mutual reception or "exchan ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Tetrabiblos
''Tetrabiblos'' () 'four books', also known in Greek as ''Apotelesmatiká'' () "Effects", and in Latin as ''Quadripartitum'' "Four Parts", is a text on the philosophy and practice of astrology, written in the 2nd century AD by the Alexandrian scholar Claudius Ptolemy ( AD 90– AD 168). Ptolemy's ''Almagest'' was an authoritative text on astronomy for more than a thousand years, and the ''Tetrabiblos'', its companion volume, was equally influential in astrology, the study of the effects of astronomical cycles on earthly matters. But whilst the ''Almagest'' as an astronomical authority was superseded by acceptance of the heliocentric model of the Solar System, the ''Tetrabiblos'' remains an important theoretical work for astrology. Besides outlining the techniques of astrological practice, Ptolemy's philosophical defense of the subject as a natural, beneficial study helped secure theological tolerance towards astrology in Western Europe during the Medieval era. This allowed Pt ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Julius Firmicus Maternus
__NOTOC__ Julius Firmicus Maternus was a Roman Latin writer and astrologer, who received a pagan classical education that made him conversant with Greek; he lived in the reign of Constantine I (306 to 337 AD) and his successors. His triple career made him a public advocate, an astrologer and finally a Christian apologist. The ''explicit'', or end-tag, of the sole surviving manuscript of his ''De errore profanarum religionum'' ("On the error of profane religions") gives his name as ''Iulius Firmicus Maternus V C'', identifying him as a ''vir clarissimus'' and a member of the senatorial class. He was also author of the most extensive surviving text of Roman astrology, ''Matheseos libri octo'' ("Eight books of astrology") written around 334–337. Manuscripts of this work identify him as "the younger" (''iunior'') or "the Sicilian" (''Siculus''). The lunar crater Firmicus was named in his honour. The ''Matheseos'' was dedicated to the governor of Campania, Lollianus Mavortius, whose ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Hephaistio Of Thebes
Hephaestion, Hephaistion, or Hephaistio of Thebes ( grc, Ἡφαιστίων ὁ Θηβαῖος, ''Hēphaistíōn ho Thēbaĩos'') was a Hellenized Egyptian astrologer of late Antiquity who wrote a Greek treatise known as the ''Apotelesmatics'' or ''Apotelesmatika'' around AD 415. Much of the work appears to be an attempt to synthesize the earlier works of the 1st century astrologer Dorotheus of Sidon and the 2nd century astrologer Claudius Ptolemy. Hephaestion is seen mainly as one of the later compilers of the Hellenistic tradition of astrology since he mainly draws from earlier astrologers, including Antiochus of Athens, and he summarizes large portions of Ptolemy and Dorotheus, which is helpful to modern scholars since we have no other record of many of the authorities that he quotes. Hephaestion's intention appears to have been to reconcile the authoritative Ptolemaic tradition with the earlier practices represented by Dorotheus of Sidon. He wrote at a time and in a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Epitome
An epitome (; gr, ἐπιτομή, from ἐπιτέμνειν ''epitemnein'' meaning "to cut short") is a summary or miniature form, or an instance that represents a larger reality, also used as a synonym for embodiment. Epitomacy represents "to the degree of." An abridgment differs from an epitome in that an abridgment is made of selected quotations of a larger work; no new writing is composed, as opposed to the epitome, which is an original summation of a work, at least in part. Many documents from the Ancient Greek and Roman worlds survive now only "in epitome," referring to the practice of some later authors (epitomators) who wrote distilled versions of larger works now lost. Some writers attempted to convey the stance and spirit of the original, while others added further details or anecdotes regarding the general subject. As with all secondary historical sources, a different bias not present in the original may creep in. Documents surviving in epitome differ from those su ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Kocku Von Stuckrad
Kocku von Stuckrad (born 6 April 1966) is a German scholar of religious studies. He specialises in the European history of religion and the academic study of Western esotericism. Biography Kocku von Stuckrad was born in Kpando, Ghana on 6 April 1966. He is a professor of religious studies at the University of Groningen. His research has focused on the European history of religion, Western esotericism, the connections between religion, nature, and science, and on methodological and theoretical approaches to the study of religion. Stuckrad's approach to the academic study of Western esotericism focuses on claims of perfect or higher knowledge, rather than particular esoteric movements, and he has argued that secrecy should be regarded as one of the defining characteristics of the field. He has criticised the academic field of Western esotericism for having failed to produce sufficient critical examination of its key concepts from historical, sociological, and cultural perspectiv ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire, also referred to as the Eastern Roman Empire or Byzantium, was the continuation of the Roman Empire primarily in its eastern provinces during Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, when its capital city was Constantinople. It survived the fragmentation and fall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD and continued to exist for an additional thousand years until the fall of Constantinople to the Ottoman Empire in 1453. During most of its existence, the empire remained the most powerful economic, cultural, and military force in Europe. The terms "Byzantine Empire" and "Eastern Roman Empire" were coined after the end of the realm; its citizens continued to refer to their empire as the Roman Empire, and to themselves as Romans—a term which Greeks continued to use for themselves into Ottoman times. Although the Roman state continued and its traditions were maintained, modern historians prefer to differentiate the Byzantine Empire from Ancient Rome ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rhetorius
Rhetorius of Egypt ( el, Ῥητόριος) was the last major classical astrologer from whom we have any excerpts. He lived in the sixth or early seventh century, in the early Byzantine era. He wrote an extensive compendium in Greek of the techniques of the Hellenistic astrologers who preceded him, and is one of our best sources for the work of Antiochus of Athens. Although no intact original manuscript survives of his work, we do have several late Byzantine versions of it. Rhetorius provides important confirmation of the survival of the more obscure astrological techniques of Vettius Valens, the practicing astrologer whose tradition is somewhat at variance with the more well-known methods of Claudius Ptolemy; for example, in his treatment of the Lot of Fortune as a '' horoskopos'', much as Valens treated Lots, and in his use of sect with lots. In addition, Rhetorius discusses the late-Roman systems of time lords, a topic which came to be heavily developed by the Persians, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
