Chapter Two. New Evidence For The History Of Astrology

Abstract

The association made in the Greco-Roman world between the profession tastrologert and the name tChaldeant is abundantly attested to in Hellenistic literature, and the renown of the tChaldeanst as expert practitioners of astrology that emerged in the Hellenistic period continued even into late antiquity. Textual sources for Hellenistic astrology stem largely from the latter half of the Hellenistic period and therefore reflect the astrology in its most elaborate Greco-Roman form, furthest removed from contacts with Babylonian celestial divination. On the other hand, the bulk of our evidence for Babylonian celestial divination dates from the seventh century B.C.E., and earlier, and derives primarily from the omen series Enūma Anu Enlil, its commentaries, and the reports of the scholars to the Sargonid kings in which Enūma Anu Enlil is cited and interpreted.Keywords: astrology; Babylonian divination; Enūma Anu Enlil; Greco-Roman period; Hellenistic literature