Astrological age: Difference between revisions

Cumont's views are no longer followed. Today, the cult and its beliefs are recognized as a synthesis of late-classical Greco-Roman thought, with an astrological component even more astrology-centric than Roman beliefs generally were during the early Roman Empire. The details remain debated.<ref name=Mithraism>{{cite book sfnp|last=Ulansey |first=David |year=1991 |title=Mithraism: The Cosmic Mysteries of Mithras |publisher=Mysterium |url=http://www.mysterium.com/mithras.html}}</ref>

As far as [[axial precession (astronomy)|axial precession]] is concerned, one scholar of Mithraism, David Ulansey,<ref name=Mithraism/> has interpreted Mithras as a personification of the force responsible for precession. He argues that the cult was a religious response to Hipparchus's discovery of precession, which – from the ancient geocentric perspective – amounted to the discovery that the ''entire cosmos'' (i.e., the outermost [[celestial sphere]] of the fixed stars) was moving in a previously unknown way. Ulansey's analysis is based on the ''[[tauroctony]]'': the image of Mithras killing a bull that was placed at the center of every Mithraic temple. In the standard tauroctony, Mithras and the bull are accompanied by a ''dog'', a ''snake'', a ''raven'', a ''scorpion'' and two identical young men, with torches.{{cnsfnp|date=August 2024Ulansey|1991}}

According to Ulansey, the tauroctony is a schematic [[star chart]]. The bull is [[Taurus (constellation)|Taurus]], a constellation of the zodiac. In the astrological age that preceded the time of Hipparchus, the vernal equinox had taken place when the Sun was in the constellation of Taurus, and during that previous epoch the constellations of [[Canis Minor|Canis Minor (The Dog)]], [[Hydra (constellation)|Hydra (The Snake)]], [[Corvus (constellation)|Corvus (The Raven)]], and [[Scorpius|Scorpius (The Scorpion)]] – that is, the constellations that correspond to the animals depicted in the tauroctony – all lay on the celestial equator (the location of which is shifted by the precession) and thus had privileged positions in the sky during that epoch. Mithras himself represents the constellation [[Perseus (constellation)|Perseus]], which is located directly above Taurus the Bull: The same location occupied by Mithras in the tauroctony image. Mithras' killing of the Bull, by this reasoning, represented the power possessed by this new god to shift the entire cosmic structure, turning the cosmic sphere so that the location of the spring equinox left the constellation of Taurus (a transition symbolized by the killing of the Bull), and the Dog, Snake, Raven, and Scorpion likewise lost their privileged positions on the celestial equator.<ref name=Mithraism/>{{sfnp|Ulansey|1991}}

From this, Ulansey concludes that Mithraic iconography was an "astronomical code" whose secret was the existence of a new cosmic divinity, unknown to those outside the cult, whose fundamental attribute was his ability to shift the structure of the entire cosmos, and thereby to control the astrological forces believed at that time to determine human existence. That gave him the power to grant his devotees success during life and salvation after death (i.e., a safe journey through the planetary spheres and a subsequent immortal existence in the sphere of the stars).<ref name=Mithraism/>{{sfnp|Ulansey|1991}}

Though the one degree per hundred years calculated for [[precession of the equinoxes]] as defined by [[Hipparchus]] and promulgated by [[Ptolemy]] was too slow, another rate of precession that was too fast also gained popularity in the 1st millennium AD. By the fourth century AD, Theon of [[Alexandria]]<ref>Pingree, David: Precession and Trepidation in Indian Astronomy before A.D. 1200. Journal for the History of Astronomy, Vol. 3, pp.&nbsp;27–35</ref> assumed a changing rate (trepidation) of one degree per 66 years.{{sfnp|Pingree|1972}} The tables of the Shah (Zij-i Shah)<ref>Pingree, David Edwin: "The Recovery of early Greek astronomy from India", Journal for the History of Astronomy, Bd. 7, 1976, S. 112</ref> originate in the sixth century, but are lost, but many later Arabic and Persian astronomers and astrologers refer to them and also use this value.{{cnsfnp|date=August 2024Pingree|1976}}

There exists evidence that the modern calendar developed by [[Dionysius Exiguus]] in the 6th century AD commencing with the birth of [[Jesus Christ]] at AD 1 was influenced by [[precession of the equinoxes]] and astrological ages. Dionysius' desire to replace Diocletian years (Diocletian persecuted Christians) with a calendar based on the incarnation of Christ was to prevent people from believing the imminent end of the world. At the time it was believed that the [[Resurrection]] and end of the world would occur 500 years after the birth of Jesus. The current [[Anno Mundi]] calendar theoretically commenced with the creation of the world based on information in the [[Old Testament]]. It was believed that based on the Anno Mundi calendar Jesus was born in the year 5500 (or 5500 years after the world was created) with the year 6000 of the Anno Mundi calendar marking the end of the world.<ref>{{sfnmp|1a1=Wallraff, Martin: Julius Africanus und die Christliche Weltchronik. Walter de Gruyter, 2006</ref><ref>|1y=2012|2a1=Mosshammer, Alden A.: The Easter Computus and the Origins of the Christian Era. Oxford University Press, |2y=2009, p. |2pp=254, p. 270, p. 328</ref>}}

Anno Mundi 6000 (approximately AD 500) was thus equated with the Second Coming of Christ and the end of the world.<ref>{{sfnp|Declercq, Georges: Anno Domini. The Origins of the Christian Era. Turnhout Belgium. |2000</ref>}} Since this date had already passed in the time of Dionysius, he therefore searched for a new end of the world at a later date. He was heavily influenced by ancient cosmology, in particular the doctrine of the [[Great Year]] that places a strong emphasis on planetary conjunctions. This doctrine says that when all the planets were in conjunction that this cosmic event would mark the end of the world. Dionysius accurately calculated that this conjunction would occur in May AD 2000. Dionysius then applied another astronomical timing mechanism based on [[precession of the equinoxes]]. Though incorrect, some oriental astronomers at the time believed that the precessional cycle was 24,000 years which included twelve astrological ages of 2,000 years each. Dionysius believed that if the planetary alignment marked the end of an age (i.e. the Pisces age), then the birth of Jesus Christ marked the beginning of the Age of Pisces 2,000 years earlier. He therefore deducted 2,000 years from the May 2000 conjunction to produce AD 1{{sfnp|Rothwangl|2003}} for the incarnation of Christ.{{sfnpsfnmp|1a1=Rothwangl|1y=2003}}{{sfnp|2a1=Rothwangl|2y=2010}}

The renowned Persian Jewish astronomer and astrologer Masha'Allah (c.740 – 815 CE) employed [[precession of the equinoxes]] for calculating the period "Era of the Flood" dated as 3360 BCE or 259 years before the Indian [[Kali Yuga]], believed to have commenced in 3101 BCE.<ref>Viator. Medieval and Renaissance Studies, University of California Press, {{sfnp|White|1970, Pp |p=149</ref>}}

This means the Sun crosses the equator at the vernal equinox moving backward against the fixed stars from one year to the next at the rate of one degree in seventy-two years, one constellation (on average) in about 2148 years, and the whole twelve signs in about 25,772 years,<ref name="demonstrations.wolfram.com">{{Cite web |title=Precession of the Earth's Axis – Wolfram Demonstrations Project |url=http://demonstrations.wolfram.com/PrecessionOfTheEarthsAxis/ |access-date=2019-02-10 |website=demonstrations.wolfram.com |language=en}}</ref> sometimes called a [[Great Year|Platonic Year]]. However the length of the ages are decreasing with time as the rate of precession is increasing. Therefore, no two ages are of equal length.

In 1928, at the Conference of the [[International Astronomical Union]] (IAU) in [[Leiden]], the [[Netherlands]], the edges of the 88 official constellations became defined in astronomical terms.{{cn|date=August 2024}} The edge established between [[Pisces (constellation)|Pisces]] and [[Aquarius (constellation)|Aquarius]] locates the beginning of the Aquarian Age around the year 2600.{{cn|date=August 2024}}

The Austrian astronomer, Professor [[Hermann Haupt (astronomer){{ill|Hermann Haupt]],<refF. name="Haupt">{{cite web |first=Sepp |last=Rothwangl |title=Considerations About the Start of the Age of Aquarius |url=http://cura.free.fr/xxv/21sepp2.htmlde}}</ref> examined the question of when the Age of Aquarius begins in an article published in 1992 by the Austrian Academy of Science: with the German title {{lang|de|"Der Beginn des Wassermannzeitalters, eine astronomische Frage?"}} ("The Start of the Aquarian Age, an Astronomical Question?").<ref name="Haupt">{{cite web |first=Sepp |last=Rothwangl |title=Considerations About the Start of the Age of Aquarius |url=http://cura.free.fr/xxv/21sepp2.html}}</ref> Based on the boundaries accepted by IAU in 1928, Haupt's article investigates the start of the Age of Aquarius by calculating the entry of the spring equinox point over the parallel cycle (d = – 4°) between the constellations Pisces and Aquarius and reaches, using the usual formula of precession (Gliese, 1982), the year 2595. However Haupt concludes:

{{blockquote|Though it cannot be expected that astrologers will follow the official boundaries of the constellations, there will be an attempt to calculate the entry of the spring equinox point into the constellation of Aquarius. [...<p>] As briefly has been shown, the results and methods of astrology in many areas, such as concerning the Aquarian Age, are controversial on their own and cannot be called scientific because of the many esoteric elements.<ref>Haupt, Herman, Prof., "Der Beginn des Wassermannzeitalters, eine astronomische Frage?", 1992</ref></p>}}

Many research astrologers believe that the astrological ages can be divided into smaller sections along the lines of 'wheels within wheels'. The most common method is to divide each astrological ages into twelve sub-periods.{{sfnp|MacKinnell|2002|p=10}} There are two common ways of undertaking this process and two ways of applying these sub-periods. Furthermore, some astrologers divide the ages in different ways. For example, Lcdr David Williams employs a [[Decans|decan]]ate sub-division whereby each age is divided into three equal sections.<ref>Lcdr David {{sfnp|Williams, ''Simplified Astronomy for Astrologers'', 1980, American Federation of Astrologers, Tempe Arizona</ref>|2009}}

The alternative approach is to apply a method commonly used in Vedic astrology but with long antecedents also in westernWestern astrology.<ref>Per {{harvp|Ennis|1983|p=57}}, the ancient Roman astrologer Manilius used dwadasamsa but called them dodecatemorion (sometimes 'duodecatemorion') – Stephanie Jean Ennis, ''Decanates and Dwads'', 1983, p. 57 {{ISBN|0-86690-239-2}}</ref> This method also divides each astrological age into twelve sub-periods but the first sub-period for each sign is the same as the sign itself, then with the following sub-periods in natural order. For example, the twelve dwadasamsa of Aquarius are Aquarius, Pisces, Aries, Taurus, and so on, until the last dwadasamsa – Capricorn. Technically this approach is based on attributes of both the twelfth and thirteenth harmonics of the zodiacal signs and can be considered to be halfway between the 12th and 13th harmonics.

*Geometric Order (Retrograde) – The other approach is to arrange the sub-periods geometrically and reverse the direction of the sub-periods in line with the retrograde order of the astrological ages. For example, if applying the Aries to Pisces method, the first sub-period of any astrological age is Pisces, followed by Aquarius, Capricorn, and so on, until the last sub-period – Aries. Charles Carter indicated there was some merit to this approach.{{sfnp|Carter|1951|p=76}} If applying the dwadasamsa sub-period system geometrically for example the first sub-period in the Aquarian Age is Capricorn, followed by Sagittarius, Scorpio, and so on, until the last sub-period – Aquarius. This approach is adopted by Terry MacKinnell,<ref>Terry {{sfnp|MacKinnell, "The Cusp of Ages" published in ''The FAA Journal'' June |2001 Vol 31 No. 2. pp. 33–42</ref>}} Patrizia Norelli-Bachelet<ref>Patrizia {{sfnp|Norelli-Bachelet, ''The Gnostic Circle'', Samual Weiser Inc, New York, 1978</ref>|1994}} and Lcdr David Williams applied his [decans] (threefold division) geometrically thus supporting this approach.

Of all the key techniques used in ancient times, the most common in Babylon (most likely the source of astrology) and most other ancient cultures were based on phenomena that occurred close to the eastern or western horizons.{{sfnp|Neugebauer|1969|p=98}} MacKinnell opines that it is incongruent to use a modern mathematical approach to the much older constellations that were first described well before these mathematical approaches were invented.<ref>Mackinnell, "The Dawning – Shedding New Light on the Astrological Ages", 2011, pp. 26 – 29</ref>

The heliacal rising constellation at the vernal equinox is based on the last zodiacal constellation rising above the Eastern Horizon just before dawn and before the light of the approaching Sun obliterates the stars on the eastern horizon. Currently at the vernal equinox the constellation of Aquarius has been the heliacal rising constellation for some centuries. The stars disappear about one hour before dawn depending upon magnitude, latitude, and date. This one hour represents approximately 15 degrees difference compared to the contemporary method based on the position of the Sun among the zodiacal constellations.<ref name="{{sfnp|Rogers">John H Rogers, "Origins of the ancient constellations: I. The Mesopotamian traditions", ''Journal of the British Astronomical Association'', 108,1, |1998, |p. =9</ref>}}

Each age is composed of 30 degrees, therefore, 15 degrees represents about half an age or about 1080 years. Based on the heliacal rising method, the Age of Aquarius arrived about 1,080 years earlier than the modern system. John H Rogers in part one of his paper ''Origins of the ancient constellations'' also states that using the ancient heliacal rising method compared to the (modern) solar method produces a result that is approximately 1,000 in advance.<ref name="{{sfnp|Rogers" />|1998|p=9}}

Using this approach, the astrological ages arrive about half an age earlier compared to the common contemporary approach to calibrating precession based on modern mathematical techniques. Thus, MacKinnell has the Aquarian Age arriving in the 15th century while most astrologers have the Age of Aquarius arriving in the 27th century,{{sfnp|Campion|2004|pp=488–495}} almost 700 years in the future.<ref>Terry {{sfnp|MacKinnell, "The Mysterious Zodiacal Constellations", published in ''The International Astrologer'' Vol XXXI No. 3, 2002, pp. 29–33</ref>|2002b}}