Katarchic astrology is the implementation of a type of

horoscopic astrology Horoscopic astrology is a form of astrology that uses a horoscope, a visual representation of the heavens, for a specific moment in time in order to interpret the inherent meaning underlying the alignment of the planets in astrology, planets at th ...

in order to determine when would be most beneficial and rewarding moment in time to take a venture or undertaking, and is also known as electional astrology. Electional astrology is typically used to interpret the level of success of a moment that has already taken place. In modern time, electional astrology is more commonly known as inceptional astrology.

Hellenistic In Classical antiquity, the Hellenistic period covers the time in 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 ...

and

Byzantine 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 Constantinopl ...

traditions used the term katarchē in order to refer to electional astrology and inceptional astrology, which is also part of Katarchic astrology. Katarkhé was used to discover and confirm events of the past. These events include following the history and path taken by a certain illness, or tracking missing items and people such as criminals or those escaping slavery. Originally when Katarchic astrology was practiced, it typically was used to determine the best timing to conduct events such as weddings, and also to answer specific questions. It guided individuals on whether or not to continue or proceed in a course of action and worked to help guarantee the ideal result. In more recent times, Katarchic astrology is used to predict the future of individuals and influence the outcome of their future.

Comparison to genethlialogy

In comparison to

genethlialogy Natal astrology is also known as Genethliacal Astrology, which implies nativity. It is a system of astrology that claims to shed light on an individual’s personality or path in life. This concept is based on constructing a horoscope or natal c ...

, Katarchic astrology is seen to represent less of the idea that the events of life are predetermined. Where

may see events as inevitable, Katarchic astrology thought it was possible to avoid the future the planets predicted for individuals. Some believe that those studying Katarchic Astrology were critical to the

Roman Empire The Roman Empire ( la, Imperium Romanum ; grc-gre, Βασιλεία τῶν Ῥωμαίων, Basileía tôn Rhōmaíōn) was the post-Republican period of ancient Rome. As a polity, it included large territorial holdings around the Mediterr ...

and had impact on the social and political aspects of this empire. Katarchic astrology along ide

evolved into the better known interrogational astrology. This was also known as

horary astrology Horary astrology is an ancient branch of horoscopic astrology in which an astrologer attempts to answer a question by constructing a horoscope for the exact time at which the question was received and understood by the astrologer. The answer t ...

at the time, and was the practice of finding an answer to a specific question in time through the use of a horoscopic chart.

Notable people in Katarchic astrology

Dorotheus of Sidon Dorotheus of Sidon ( grc-gre, Δωρόθεος Σιδώνιος, c. 75 CE - ?? CE) was a 1st-century Greek astrologer and astrological poet, who, during the Hellenistic Period, wrote a didactic poem on horoscopic astrology in Greek, known as the ' ...

is one of the more significant of all authors on the topic of Katarchic astrology. His work dates back to the first century CE. His writing was translated into Arabic ca. 800 CE. Dorotheus wrote a series of five books, each one relating to topics of Hellenistic astrology. Book 5 of Dorotheus "covers all forms of Katarchic astrology, including elections and interrogations". This book focuses on different experiences humans may have had, including but not limited to finding objects or people that may have been lost, or building on life's journey. Dorotheus's writing became known among other writers in the

Byzantine period 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 Constantinopl ...

Augustine Augustine of Hippo ( , ; la, Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis; 13 November 354 – 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine, was a theologian and philosopher of Berbers, Berber origin and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia (Roman pr ...

is another notable historian with opinions on Katarchic astrology. He argued against topics of astrology and divination during his life time. He was first exposed to astrology as a

Manichean Manichaeism (; in New Persian ; ) is a former major religionR. van den Broek, Wouter J. Hanegraaff ''Gnosis and Hermeticism from Antiquity to Modern Times''SUNY Press, 1998 p. 37 founded in the 3rd century AD by the Parthian Empire, Parthian ...

before he converted to Christianity. His main argument against Katarchic astrology was the way it opposed the points made by

natal astrology Natal astrology is also known as Genethliacal Astrology, which implies nativity. It is a system of astrology that claims to shed light on an individual’s personality or path in life. This concept is based on constructing a horoscope or natal c ...

. He claims that if a persons future is laid out for them by their natal charts, how can choosing the timing of an event have an impact. He further explains that those astrologers who made correct predictions were truly "inspiration of evil diamons rather than the study of astrological techniques".

References

Astrology by type Hellenistic astrology {{Astrology-stub

Comparison to genethlialogy

Notable people in Katarchic astrology

See also

References