Western Astrology

Navigate the celestial currents of November 2025 as Water and Air elements dance in cosmic harmony

Chris Brennan (born 1984), historian and astrologer, is the leading voice of the modern Hellenistic revival. Author of Hellenistic Astrology: The Study of Fate and Fortune and host of The Astrology Podcast, he restored the philosophical and technical foundations of ancient astrology, revealing it as a living art of cosmic order and conscious participation.

Vettius Valens, the 2nd-century astrologer of Alexandria, wrote the Anthology—a monumental fusion of mathematics, mysticism, and lived experience. Unlike Ptolemy, Valens saw astrology as a spiritual discipline rather than a science. His work introduced planetary joys, time-lords, and fate as participation in cosmic order—making him the most authentic voice of the Hellenistic tradition.

Dorotheus of Sidon, a 1st-century CE astrologer and poet, authored the Carmen Astrologicum, the earliest systematic manual of horoscopic astrology. His five-book poem established triplicity rulerships, predictive methods, and the foundations of horary and electional astrology. Translated through Persian and Arabic scholars, his influence shaped a thousand years of Western astrological tradition.

Claudius Ptolemy, the 2nd-century scholar of Alexandria, authored the Tetrabiblos, transforming astrology into a rational science. Integrating Aristotelian physics and cosmic harmony, Ptolemy distinguished legitimate astrology from superstition and set the philosophical foundation that shaped Western thought for centuries.

Firmicus Maternus, a 4th-century Roman astrologer and philosopher, authored Matheseos Libri VIII, the last great Latin treatise of classical astrology. Blending Stoic cosmology, moral philosophy, and divine law, he envisioned astrology as sacred science. Later converting to Christianity, Firmicus became a bridge between the pagan cosmos and spiritual introspection.

Al-Kindi (Ya‘qub ibn Ishaq al-Kindi), the 9th-century philosopher of Baghdad, gave astrology a rational foundation. In his De Radiis Stellarum, he described celestial influence through natural “rays,” uniting Greek philosophy, optics, and astrology. His ideas shaped both Islamic and European thought, transforming astrology into a science of harmony and cosmic causation.

Mashallah ibn Athari (c. 740–815 CE), court astrologer to the Abbasid caliphs, was one of the founders of Islamic astrology. He helped elect the founding moment of Baghdad and authored seminal works on horary, mundane, and electional astrology. Synthesizing Greek, Persian, and Indian traditions, Mashallah transformed astrology into a disciplined science that bridged heaven and intellect.