Astrology is often seen only as a form of divination, yet its history is intertwined with the work of many influential scientists and philosophers. In earlier eras, the line between astronomy and astrology was not sharply drawn; experts in both fields contributed to major scientific and political developments. From advising Constantine on the founding of Constantinople to foretelling the Great Fire of London, astrologers have influenced society since as early as 3,500 BCE in Mesopotamia and 1046 BCE in China. Compiling a short list of history-changing astrologers is difficult because they appear throughout recorded history in Egypt, Greece, Rome, China, India, and Babylon. The following figures offer a glimpse into that long tradition.
William Lilly – Living in London from 1602 to 1681, Lilly published the first astrology book in English. He is famously credited with predicting the Great Fire of London 15 years before it happened. Regarded as England's most important astrologer, he had powerful friends and was known as a horary astrologer.
Nechepso and Petosiris – This Egyptian king and his priest lived during the first century BCE and influenced Hellenistic astrology. Although their books are lost, they are cited in Hellenistic astrology—the horoscopic system used in the Roman and early Byzantine empires around the time of Alexander the Great. That system also forms the basis of modern Western astrology.
Masha'allah – An eminent court astrologer in 8th-century Persia, he played a key role in the political decision to found Baghdad. He wrote many influential horary astrology books, and his work continued to influence well-known astrologers long after his death.
Susan Miller – Arguably America's most famous astrologer, Miller gained renown from her book Sun Signs, which focuses on compatibility. She is a popular celebrity astrologer with many celebrity fans, and her name is widely recognized in the U.S. astrology world.
Johannes Kepler – This famous German mathematician, alive in the 17th century, was a highly influential figure in the scientific revolution. As an astrologer, he also influenced Sir Isaac Newton; Newton's theory of universal gravitation drew on Kepler's laws of planetary motion.
Aristotle – Known as the father of Western philosophy, Aristotle was a Greek scientist and philosopher said to have taught Alexander the Great. A student of Plato, he made major contributions to metaphysics from 384 BCE to 322 BCE.
Nostradamus – This Frenchman, who lived from 1503 to 1566, is most famous for his prophecies and his almanac of daily predictions. He was also a physician and was known as a seer; his work is still published.
Galileo Galilei – Known as the father of modern science, this Italian was a key figure in advancing Copernican heliocentrism, a major leap forward for his time. A physicist, engineer, astronomer, and mathematician, he was central to the scientific revolution. During his era, astrology was tied to both mathematics and astronomy.
Claudius Ptolemy – From Roman Egypt, this famous astrologer lived in Alexandria. In his book Tetrabiblos, published in the 2nd century and still in circulation, Ptolemy sought to bring science and astrology together. He is said to have been in the royal lineage of kings who followed Alexander the Great, and he was also a mathematician and geographer who influenced Islamic, European, and Byzantine science.
Alan Leo – A more modern influential astrologer, Leo lived in the U.K. from 1860 to 1970 and is known as the father of modern astrology. He helped make astrology more accessible for people to learn.
Conclusion
This list could go on indefinitely, and each person's work merits a study of its own. Hopefully, this article has offered a glimpse into the very long and diverse history of astrology and shown how some of the brightest minds that shaped our world were well versed in it. The saying that "knowledge is power" still holds true, as the people on this list (mostly men) played huge roles in shaping society and what we know about the universe today.
This wisdom has been painstakingly passed down since the beginning of written history, when the 12 zodiac signs were depicted as animals. Much time has passed, but influential figures and celebrities in our society still follow the procession of the planets, sensing that astrology's secret wisdom can unlock their potential. Astrology helps us see that we are all connected, no matter what belief systems we hold.
