Sleepy History - Astrology: When It was a Science

Episode Date: August 23, 2026

✨Sleepy History is written and narrated by humans. ✨ Narrated By: Simon Mattacks Written By: Alexandra Turney Discover the story behind sun signs and horoscopes, as we explore 4,000 years of Western astrology, from the Babylonians to the digital age. Includes mentions of: Philosophy, Psychology, Popular Culture, Astronomy, and medicine. #History #Astrology #Psychology #astronomy #aquarius #Aries #Virgo #Cancer #Gemini #Taurus #Leo #Pisces #Scorpio #Libra #Sagittarius #Capricorn About Sleepy History Explore history's most intriguing stories, people, places, events, and mysteries, delivered in a supremely calming atmosphere. If you struggle to fall asleep and you have a curious mind, Sleepy History is the perfect bedtime companion. Our stories will gently grasp your attention, pulling your mind away from any racing thoughts, making room for the soothing music and calming narration to guide you into a peaceful sleep. Want to enjoy Sleepy History ad-free? Start your 7-day free trial of Sleepy History Premium: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://sleepyhistory.supercast.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Have feedback or an episode request? Let us know at: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠slumberstudios.com/contact⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Sleepy History is a production of Slumber Studios. To learn more, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.slumberstudios.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hear that? It's your money calling. It wants a promotion. Elevate your savings with the Scotia high-interest savings account. Always earn high regular interest rates that grow the more you save and invest. Conditions apply. Visit scotiabank.com slash h-I-SA to learn more. Scotia Bank. You're richer than you think. Whether or not you believe in astrology, you most likely know your star sign. Perhaps you even check your horoscope from time to time, hoping to gain some insight into what the future holds.

But how did this practice originate and how did it develop into the form of astrology we know today? It's a story that involves the Babylonians, the ancient Greeks, and a remarkable revival in the 20th century. We'll find out why Western astrology has endured over the centuries. despite opposition and skepticism. So just relax and let your mind drift as we explore the sleepy history of astrology. Our story begins with a night sky in the city of Babylon about 4,000 years ago.

A man gazes up at the stars, studying them carefully. He doesn't have a telescope, but the skies are clear and the stars shine brightly. Every now and then, he takes notes, using a reed stylus to make indentations on a clay tablet. The man is a priest, observing the heavens.

His meticulous records on the positions of the stars and other celestial bodies will be used for the purposes of divination to interpret omens from the gods. The beginnings of astronomy and astrology can both be traced back to Mesopotamia, present-day Iraq. These days, astronomy and astrology are considered two distinct subjects.

Astronomy is the scientific study of celestial bodies and phenomena, involving the use of mathematics, chemistry and physics. astrology, on the other hand, is a system of divination. The positions and movements of celestial bodies are interpreted. It's believed that they can provide insight into various aspects of life on Earth, including people's personalities and relationships and future events.

For the people of Babylon, the distinction between astronomy and astrology didn't exist. Early study of the stars was methodical, involving careful observation and record-keeping. But at the same time, it was inseparable from religious beliefs. Babylonian priests had an important task, trying to understand how society might be affected by the stars and planets. The early form of astrology wasn't so focused on ordinary individuals or people's inner lives as it is today. Instead, it focused on the king and state and practical matters.

For instance, there might be a negative omen about military affairs. Some think that put the state at risk. Once aware of this omen, the Babylonians could then take action. So we can see that even at the beginning, astrology wasn't entirely deterministic. The idea was, and still is, that we can use this knowledge to our advantage. Even if we believe that the stars and planets influence life on Earth, we still have some control. Most of what we know about Babylonian astronomy comes from the clay tablets they left behind. A collection of tablets known as Enuma, Arnu and Lille contains more than 6,000 omens inscribed in cuneiform script.

For instance, the appearance of the moon on the first day of the month is a good omen. The land will be happy. and there are interpretations of many other phenomena, from lunar eclipses to earthquakes. Of course, the Babylonians weren't the only ancient civilization to pay attention to the skies. The sun, moon and stars appear in myths from around the world, from Africa to Australia. It seems to be something almost universal, a human need to search for meaning in the stars. What's special about the Babylonians is that they appear to have been the first civilization to study and analyze celestial phenomena in a systematic way.

Other cultures later developed their own systems, including China and India. Indian astrology emerged out of Vedic traditions and was also influenced by the Babylonian and Hellenistic systems. systems. The origins of Chinese astrology are unclear, but it appears to have developed largely independently, becoming formalized around the 4th century BCE. It was the Babylonians who created the foundations for Western astrology, the form that many of us are familiar with today. This included the 12 signs of the zodiac. There's a pair of tablets, known. known as Moolapin, which date back to at least the 7th century BCE. The tablets list numerous constellations.

These include the goatfish, better known to us as Capricorn, and the Great Twins or Gemini. They're all there, albeit with different names. The Babylonians recognize that these constellations lie along the apparent path of the sun through the sky. The sun also passes through a 13th constellation. It's known as Ophucas or the serpent bearer, but the Babylonians decided not to include it. the zodiac was standardized into 12 equal divisions, likely because this fit their mathematical system and their calendar. When people learn that Ophucous exists, it sometimes causes confusion.

In recent years, the space agency NASA has had to clarify that they didn't change the zodiac, and that astrology has nothing to do with them. Now, we don't want to get too deep into astronomy, but while we're on the subject, it's worth noting that the zodiac signs and constellations no longer physically correspond. The night sky has slowly shifted over time and is still changing. The Babylonians invented the 12-sine zodiac. But it was another civilization, the Greeks, who developed the system even further.

Ancient Greek studies of astrology and astronomy were based on the Babylonian system. In the 4th century BCE, the Greek astronomer Eudoxus of Niders compiled star charts, which were inspired by Babylonian knowledge. Another influential figure was a Babylonian priest named Berossus, It's believed that he established a school of astronomy on the Greek island of Koss. Over time, Western astrology, as we know it, began to take shape. The Greeks adapted the Babylonian zodiac, giving us the 12 star signs we know today, Ares, Taurus, Gemini, and so on.

These signs reflect the Greek's understanding of the world, and their mythology. Sagittarius, for instance, is a centaur, a creature from Greek myth with the head and torso of a man and the body and legs of a horse. The animals of the Greek zodiac, such as the bull of Taurus or the ram of Ares, are creatures that would have been familiar to the Greeks.

If the zodiac had developed in another part of the world, Some of the signs might have been represented by different animals. A tiger, perhaps, or an elephant. The word zodiac derives from a Greek phrase, which means circle of animals. The word horoscope also comes from Greek. Literally translated, Oroscopos means hour watcher. And indeed, the concept of the ascendant, or... Rising sign, which is related to the time of birth, seems to have originated in Greek astrology.

Some celestial bodies were considered especially important in terms of cosmic influence. The sun, moon, Mars, Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn. The Greeks assigned characteristics to the planets, according to the deity, associated with each For example, the planet we now know as Mercury was originally associated with the Greek god Hermes, the messenger god. To this day, Mercury is considered the planet of communication in astrology. As for the 12 astrological houses, the first house, second house and so on, this concept likely originated in Mesopotamia, but it was the Greeks who formalized the system. Now, going back to the signs, you may be aware that different signs are associated with different

elements. Ares, Leo and Sagittarius are considered fire signs, while the other signs of the zodiac are either earth, water, or air. Once again, it was the Greeks. who came up with these pairings. Early Greek philosophers identified Earth, water, fire and air as the four basic elements, and at some point Greek astrologers began to associate the zodiac signs with these four elements. Like the Babylonians, the Greeks used astrology as a form of divination. Astrologers would make predictions about politics or the fate of a particular city.

A horoscope was based on the date of a city's foundation. Increasingly, personal horoscopes also became popular. Using the time and date of a person's birth, an astrologer would make forecasts about their work, health, and relationships. But while modern astrology tends to focus on emotional well-being and one's inner life, Greek astrology often placed greater emphasis on fate and major life events. Death, for instance. Astrology was popular in ancient Greece, and some intellectuals took it seriously.

The Stoic philosopher Posidonius was renowned as one of the most learned men of his age. He wrote about astrology and seems to have regarded it as a legitimate. legitimate subject of study. But others began to question the idea that stars could influence one's fortune. An early skeptic was Cicic, the Roman statesman who lived in the first century B.C.E. In his philosophical work on divination, Cicero criticizes astrology. One of his most convincing arguments is what we might call the twin problem. Cicero refers to twins who are alike in appearance, but generally unlike in career and fortune. If astrology influences fate, how is it possible that two people born at the same time have such different lives? Cicero was

skeptical. But some would say there's an explanation for that. He was a Capricorn after all. In the third century CE, another thinker challenged the concept of causal astrology. The Neo-Platonist philosopher Plotinus. In his essay, Are the Stars Causes, Plotinus argues that they're not, that they're signs rather than causes, and that they cannot influence the human soul. They may, however, influence material aspects of life. So even when thinkers disagreed as to the exact nature of the star's influence, they often still believed they were important. Something to pay attention to.

There's another name we need to mention. someone who had an enormous influence on Western astrology. Ptolemy, who lived in Egypt in the 2nd century CE, was a mathematician, astronomer, and astrologer, among other things. His work had a wide-reaching and long-lasting influence. One treatise, the Tetra Biblos, has been described as the Bible of astrology. This authoritative text outlined rules and techniques. Ptolemy's guide became indispensable to generations of astrologers.

His work helped to preserve the Greek astrological tradition for centuries to come. In the Middle Ages, astrology remained popular in Europe. Some astrological knowledge may have come directly from Greek and Roman texts, But it's likely that Arabic translations also played a role. Astronomy and astrology were widely studied in the medieval Islamic world, along with disciplines such as mathematics, philosophy and medicine. Scholars translated key texts from Greek into Arabic. In doing so, they helped to preserve knowledge that had become less accessible in much of Europe.

after the fall of the Western Roman Empire. From around the 10th century onwards, this knowledge returned to Europe via Arabic translations. The texts were then translated into Latin and spread throughout Europe. Interestingly, this connection with the Islamic world explains why in English some astronomical terms have Arabic roots. The word Zenith, for example, or the names of stars such as Altair and Betel Jews. For centuries, astrology was popular in the Islamic world.

But not everyone was convinced. Around the early 11th century, the philosopher and physician Avicenna expressed doubt. He didn't deny that the planets influenced Earth, but how could humans fully understand? their effect. For some Muslim theologians, astrology was even more problematic. They argued that belief in astrology was incompatible with the Islamic faith. In this part of the world, the study of astrology became increasingly controversial. Over in Europe, astrology was also criticized by Christian thinkers.

Although it wasn't always rejected outright, some Christians saw a clear contradiction. One couldn't believe in the determinism of astrology while also believing in free will and God's sovereignty. Certain passages in the Bible were interpreted as condemnations of astrology. A passage in Deuteronomy, for example, forbids the practice of divination. Christian authorities were often suspicious of astrology. Nonetheless, despite criticisms and condemnations, astrology continued to thrive in Europe, and many people took it seriously.

In medieval and Renaissance Europe, astrology was often part of standard medical practice. Medical students at the University of Bologna spent years studying astrology. They had to become familiar with astronomical tables so they could make a prognosis or carry out bloodletting. In addition to medical tools, they were expected to learn how to use an astrolabe. Another handy tool in medieval medicine was an illustration known as the Zodiac Man. This diagram showed a man's body and the zodiac signs that ruled different parts. Ares was associated with the head, Taurus with the neck and throat, Gemini with the shoulders, and so on.

Physicians would use the Zodiac man to choose the best time for treatment. The most important consideration was the position of the moon. For instance, if the moon was currently in the sign of Virgo, the physician should not operate on the patient's stomach. Given that this part of the body was associated with Virgo, the procedure might be dangerous. Natal astrology was also widely studied and practised. Many believed that an in-depth study of a person's birth chart could provide all kinds of insights. Eager to know what the future held, some people paid astrologers for personalized readings. Another source of astrological knowledge was the

almanac, a kind of early magazine containing up-to-date information about various subjects. The invention of the mechanical printing press in the mid-15th century made texts more accessible. Ormanacs, which often contained astrological information, became more widely available. This helps to explain one of the cultural sensations of the 16th century, Nostradamus. Michel de Nostradam was a French astrologer. In 1550, he began publishing almanacs under the Latinized name Nostradamus. As the Ormanacs became successful, he started to include cryptic prophecies. Here's one example.

Songs, chants, and refrains of the slavish mob, whilst the princes and king are captive in prison, shall be received in the future as oracles divine by headless idiots, deprived of judgment. According to some interpretations, this prophecy foretold the French Revolution, which took place more than 200 years later. Ostradamus claimed that his predictions were based on astrological calculations. But other astrologers at the time criticized his technique, and some scholars suspect that his prophecies were highly derivative. They seem to have drawn primarily on ancient prophets.

and historical sources, rather than astrology. So while Nostradamus may not have been the most competent of astrologers, there's no denying his influence. A celebrity in his day, his prophecies continue to be analyzed as people search for connections to wars and world events. The enduring popularity of Nostradamus suggests that many of us can't resist a constant prophecy. It's a tantalizing idea that we can somehow gain a glimpse of the future. And even if we aren't entirely convinced by astrology, we still might be curious enough to take a look at our

horoscope. We don't know what Shakespeare himself thought about astrology, but his plays are full of references, indicating how important it was at the time. Astrology was part of popular culture. Most famously, there are the star-crossed lovers of Romeo and Juliet. Some of Shakespeare's characters believe wholeheartedly in the influence of the stars. In King Lear, Kent says, it is the stars, the stars above, govern our conditions. But in the same play, Edmund is dismissive of astrology. He says, this is the the excellent foppery of the world, that when we are sick in fortune, often the surface of our own behaviour, we make guilty of our disasters, the sun, the moon and stars. Throughout history,

there has always been a certain degree of opposition to astrology, from philosophers, religious thinkers, and general sceptics. From the 16th century onwards, scientific developments increasingly challenged the legitimacy of astrology. As we've seen, earlier thinkers didn't necessarily see an incompatibility between astrology and natural philosophy, the precursor to modern science. For centuries, astrology and astronomy were considered inseparable, and the former was treated as a serious subject, worthy of study. We've also seen how many beliefs, believed astrology to be a valuable addition to medicine. Well into the 16th century, people like Galileo Galilei were still practicing astrology.

Galileo, who's considered the father of observational astronomy, was also known to create and interpret horoscopes. Admittedly, it's not certain what Galileo personally thought of astrology. He may have worked on horoscopes simply to make money. The astronomer Johannes Kepler, who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries, seems to have taken astrology seriously to a certain extent. He appears to have believed that the planets could influence life on Earth. However, he had his reservations.

In one text, Kepler compares astrology to a heap of dung. But, with hard work, one can occasionally find a nugget of gold. Scientific progress would lead to a lasting shift in attitudes towards astrology. During the 16th and 17th centuries, new discoveries in astronomy and physics made it increasingly difficult to defend astrology from a scientific standpoint. There wasn't one big discovery that debunked astrology, but rather a gradual accumulation of knowledge which led

to shifting perspectives among intellectuals. Astronomy and astrology came to be viewed as separate subjects. The scientific institution, known as the Royal Society of London, was founded in 1660. From early on, the Society promoted the study of astronomy, while astrology was sidelined. Despite attempts by astrologers to defend and legitimize the practice, it became a increasingly marginalized. And of course, religious opposition continued. Many church authorities condemned astrology, and some considered it to be an occult practice. At times, astrology also became a target of parody. Benjamin Franklin, one of the founding fathers of the United States,

was highly skeptical. From 1732, Franklin wrote under a pseudonym, in a yearly publication called Paul Richards' Almanac. He sometimes satirized other almanacs, with their interpretations of eclipses and their astrological predictions. Franklin once wrote, I shall not say much of the signification of the eclipses this year, for in truth, they do not signify much. Only I may observe, by the way,

that the first eclipse of the moon being celebrated in Libra, foreshadows a failure of justice. But in the following year, 1736, there will be six eclipses, which portend great revolutions in Europe, particularly in Germany. So, having said that eclipses do not signify much, Franklin then goes on to offer his tongue-in-cheek predictions. By the time Franklin was writing, astrology had lost its legitimacy in the eyes of many.

His choice of satiric target is telling. It shows that despite scientific advances and religious disapproval, astrology remained popular among the general public. Although there was a decline of sorts, at least in intellectual circles, it never disappeared. We might say that astrology became less mainstream for a while. after undergoing a reputation shift, but no one, perhaps not even the astrologers, could have foretold the next chapter. The 20th century saw an explosion of interest in astrology,

a series of revivals and growing awareness among the general public. Many people in the West knew what their sun sign was, whether or not they believed in astrology. And many began to learn about ascendants, moon signs, and some of the more technical details of astrology. To understand how this shift occurred, we need to go back to the late 19th century and an English astrologer named Alan Leo. Leo's birth name was William Frederick Allen. But having been born on the 7th of August, he renamed himself after his sun sign. Leo was a devout follower of theosophy. This religious movement was founded in the late 19th century

and blended European philosophies with Eastern religions. At this time, and in this particular crowd, there was a growing interest in alternative beliefs. Some people were open-minded and willing to take astrology seriously. So, as an astrologer, Leo found a receptive audience. He actively promoted his work, which took a slightly different approach to astrology. Leo made psychology and personality much more central and placed less emphasis on prediction compared to earlier astrology. In his books, Leo provides detailed character

analysis according to the placement of different planets in a person's birth chart. For instance, If the reader's moon is in the sign of Leo, you have imagination, generosity, and candor. You are a sincere friend and lover. You are fond of pleasures, of luxuries, of society, ornaments and beauty, and you have a good deal of taste. By the time that Leo was writing, there had been a general cultural shift towards introspection and more of a focus on individuality. Astrology seemed to offer a way to know oneself and others. Alan Leo's work placed great emphasis on the sun sign.

He believed that the sun was the most significant factor in a person's birth chart, a belief that may have been influenced by Theosophy. In Theosophy, the Sun has an image. important spiritual and symbolic role. As we mentioned earlier, Leo was a devout follower. So, perhaps there's a connection there. Leo's emphasis on the sun sign in terms of character analysis became very influential. As his work circulated in the early 20th century, there was growing interest in sun signs. Astrology is a complex and technical subject. Without prior knowledge, it's not that accessible.

Sun signs, however, are very straightforward. Everyone knows the day they were born, so they can easily find out what their sign is and what that represents. As sun sign astrology became increasingly popular, horoscopes began to appear in newspapers. The trend seems to have begun with a broad, British astrologer named R.H. Naylor, who wrote a column for the Sunday Express. In addition to horoscopes for individuals, such as the newly born Princess Margaret, Nailer wrote regular forecasts for the 12 sun signs. The column was a success, and similar articles began to appear in other publications. According to one study, by the end of the 1930s,

nearly two-thirds of the British population looked at an astrological feature on a regular basis. That's not to say that every reader believed in astrology, but many took an interest, and some perhaps were looking for reassurance. In times of uncertainty, there's a natural tendency to look for guidance or reasons to be optimistic. In part, that may explain why, horoscopes took off. For many people, life in 1930s Britain may have felt quite bleak, both economically and politically. Unfortunately, predictive astrology had its limits. In May 1939, Naylor wrote that the real dangers currently facing Europe were the childless marriage and agricultural mismanagement. There were no mentions of the Second World War.

which began just a few months later. But by now, many people were primarily interested in the psychological insights offered by astrology, not its predictive accuracy. The Swiss psychologist and psychiatrist, Carl Jung, was a great believer in astrology. He thought that it could give a near total picture of an individual's character. Studying a person's birth chart could, in his view, reveal hidden aspects of their personality and psychology. While not everyone agreed with Young, he was a respected intellectual.

His interest in astrology may have helped to give the subject credibility in the eyes of some. Astronogy began to be viewed as something more profound, a potential source of real insight. In the 1960s and 70s, many people in the West became increasingly interested in self-actualization. There was a boom in self-help books and astrology manuals. Many people were looking for new belief systems outside of traditional structures. They hoped to find guidance, so they could gain a better understanding of themselves and others. These interests have endured over the past few decades. It might be argued that the rise of self-help, their

and alternative beliefs are interrelated to a certain extent. They all represent a quest for knowledge and perhaps fulfillment. But while astrology might still be considered an alternative belief, in recent years it's become more mainstream than ever. Thanks to the internet, anyone can look up their personal horoscope or check their compatibility with a romantic interest. On dating apps, many people display their Zodiac sign on their profile. Some apps even allow users to filter potential matches by sign.

The priests of Babylon could never have imagined. As a field of study, astrology is ancient. It's existed for thousands of years. we can see that the modern popular form of Western astrology is a somewhat simplified version. In the West, the average person's knowledge of astrology is based on the Sun-Sign astrology popularized by Alan Leo and the newspaper astrologers of the 20th century. And these days, most people are not looking for predictions about the future, but rather insight into their inner selves and their relationships.

Although astrology is no longer viewed as a scientific discipline, its appeal is easy to understand. It offers an intricate system to be studied and understood. Many find it interesting and even rewarding. And for those with a more casual approach, astrology can be fun. It's a source of endless discussion and analysis. If a relationship didn't work out, perhaps it's his Scorpio Moon. Or if things feel a little chaotic right now, blame it on Mercury retrograde. Astrology will always have its skeptics and detractors.

But the fact that it's endured for thousands of years and remains hugely popular today might tell us something about human nature. People have always searched for understanding from different sources. And when life feels uncertain, as life generally does, it's natural to look for answers and reassurance. Astrology suggests that while we can't know exactly what the future holds, we might be able to catch a glimpse. It also seems to offer explanations for why people are the way they are.

And it reminds us that many things in line, are beyond our control. Something that can feel strangely comforting. Maybe that's why, just like the Babylonians, we continue to look to the stars.