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In Terms of Fate: A Survey of the Indigenous Egyptian Contribution to Ancient Astrology in

Light of Papyrus CtYBR inv. 1132(B)
Author(s): Briant Bohleke
Source: Studien zur Altgyptischen Kultur, Bd. 23 (1996), pp. 11-46
Published by: Helmut Buske Verlag GmbH

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In Terms

a survey of the indigenous Egyptian contribution

in light of Papyrus CtYBR
inv. 1132(B)1
astrology

of Fate:

ancient

to

von

Briant Bohleke
(Tafel 1)

If not the originator of horoscopic astrology, Egypt developed the craft into an art, having a significant
impact on the Roman world and the Roman elite. This article gathers the native Egyptian astrological
documentation, and using the Demotic nomenclature reconstructs themissing title and text of P. CtYBR
a list of Terms which must have once constituted

inv. 1132(B),
handbook.

a section of an Egyptian

astrologer's

systems of Terms used for casting personal horoscopes are known from Ptolemy and other
ancient authorities, themost widely accepted being the sequence labeled "Egyptian". As the only ancient
manuscript preserving a table of Terms, P. CtYBR inv. 1132(B) is similar to, but deviates from the
Several

Egyptian sequence. With the reconstruction of the missing column of the manuscript from data in the
first two preserved columns, there appears a consistent echeloned sequence of planets similar to the
system of Critodemus. Thus P. CtYBR is the Egyptian system modified by that of Critodemus for
mnemonic

purposes

The Contemporary
Despite
logers

prohibiting
astrology

the private
remained

consultation

firmly

implanted

of astro
among

population2.

popularity

the burgeoning
over
cedence

Background

decree of AD
11 strictly
Augustus'
or the prediction
of anyone's
death,

the Roman
The

for native Egyptians.

of personal

aspirations
the underpinning

horoscopal
of individual
communal

as
had risen during
the late Republic
astrology
men
for themselves
took pre
seeking power
concerns
of the traditional
form of senatorial

[As the stars would

have it, when the manuscript of this article was finished, L.

Depuydt's
of
publication
pCtYBR inv. 1132(B) appeared in: Enchoria 21, 1994, 1-9, Taf. 1.1 have modified
my text and noted (dis)agreements in light of this work, but neither the substance nor conclusions
of my work have been affected.]
F.H. Cramer, Astrology
in Roman law and politics, 1954, 99 (hereafter cited as ARLP).
Specialists
of other spheres of knowledge had come to include astral lore in their
teachings, too, by the 1st
century BC; Cramer, ARLP, 84f.

12 B. Bohleke

SAK 23

ex
the Republic
in 139 BC that the first of many
It was during
recorded
government3.
to native
from Rome
is recorded4.
accustomed
of astrologers
forms of
Being
pulsions
more
or
to
Roman
the
senate
and
suited
societal divination,
had
group
augury
haruspicy
- on a
of
the
influx
of
which
could
with
ideas
Oriental
par
grown wary
foreign, mostly
customs.
minds
that of Greek
and
threaten
long-held
philosophers
agitate
for the decree
of AD
and the
bans on practicing
11, the multiple
astrology
Except
from Rome
the expulsion
of the trade were not
of unrepentant
practitioners
or include
to be permanent
Rome
intended
outside
itself. Whereas
those
astrologers
a gullible
or receive
be accused
their trade might
of duping
cliental
the scorn of
plying
who
the
to
of
humans
few
questioned
ability
signs correctly,
skeptics
interpret heavenly
orders

for

among

the intelligencia
would
that the regular motions

ledged
two luminaries,
fluence

the sun and

on mundane

the future.
fate was

decree

Augustus'

astrally

neither

the "exact

be

to ascertain
using proper
interpreted
techniques
to vitiate
aimed
the fundamental
theory that one's

nor attempted

out a profession

to stamp

which

focused

on

feeding) the human propensity for determining one's destiny. The

of AD

decree

could

matters6,

determined

sating (or merely

distinct

of astrology5,
science"
which
acknow
seven
of the
"stars" (the five planets plus the
wandering
the moon)
a conscious
from
in
resulting
plan or divine
doubt

11 addressed

two major
concerns
for the ruler's person
and the
an astrologer
in private could be employed
to seed a plot
to overthrow
an
the emperor
after obtaining
"imperial
a
the time of the emperor's
death could encourage
Determining

stability of the state. Consulting

a propitious
to discover
moment
for oneself.

horoscope"
coup d'etat

a plot

hatching
3
4

for that moment,

around

or embolden

the time of

the aspirant

the predicted

to test his

imperial

by

horoscope

demise7.

T. Barton, Ancient
Cramer, ARLP,

astrology, 1994, 38f., 41, 62f., 210.

232-248; Barton, Anc. astrol., 32. On the edict of AD

ARLP, 232, and especially pages 250, 253, and 281.

5
Cramer, ARLP, 4. "Revelation satisfied the religious
For

devotees.

rationalists,

however,

scientific

observations

11 specifically,

as it had appealed
over

extended

see Cramer,

to astrology's

periods

now

were

earliest
claimed

... Lay folk

the 'proof for the particular influence of each star or constellation
were thus assured by both Egyptian, as well as Mesopotamian
astrologers of a supposedly solid
rational basis of the extravagant claims made by the pseudo-scientists"
(Cramer, ARLP, 18). Seneca
to have furnished

pointed out thatmankind did not fully understand the signs and their laws (see S.J. Tester, A history
of western astrology, 1990, 53).
6
Augustus himself minted coins bearing his zodiacal birth sign to promote his divinely ordained
destiny to reign, even bravely publishing his horoscope with ascendant (from which his death date
could be calculated) in AD 11. See Cassius Dio, Dio's Roman History, 56 25, 5, trans. E. Cary,
1914-1927, vol. 7, 56f., and Barton, Anc. astrol., 40f. (citing Suetonius, De vita Caesarum, Augustus
94.5,

trans.

Barton, Anc.
1, 40-43

J.C.

Rolfe,

1914,

266f.).

astrol., 45 (quoting Tacitus, Histories

and 284f. respectively).

1, 22; 2, 78, trans. C.H. Moore,

1925-1937,

vol.

1996

in light of Papyrus CtYBR inv. 1132(B)

Astrology

The

of

weapon

successor
Greek

was

Tiberius

himself

and had

future

had promulgated
no coincidence

Augustus
It was

can

often be employed
him, and Augustus'
against
a practicing
a
With
his
advisor
astrologer8.
Thrasyllus9,
citizens with horoscopes
rooted out prominent
predicting

enemy

Tiberius

Alexandrian,

an imperial

one's

13

them executed.

He

rumors

during

that Egyptian

also

of his own

astral

enforced

ruthlessly

advisors

the decree

which

demise.

impending

served

successfully

the imperial

household, for Egypt was the accepted home of astrology and the knowledge of this topic
a native

by

Thrasyllus'
the astrologer

sacred
of

sidency

held

groves
the

by the imperial
nonpareil
patron10. For this reason
serve
to
retained
Tiberius'
In such repute was
successors11.

considered
was

by Claudius

of the temple

priesthood
and

be

would

son Balbillus

that the emperor

in Alexandria

renowned

at Alexandria

of Hermes

and

university

bestowed

upon

and oversight

throughout

his councillor

of "all imperial

the rest of Egypt",

at Alexandria

(the

Serapeum)

including
and

the high
buildings
the pre

its priceless

library12.Though forbidden by the aforementioned edict, Balbillus' specialty of fore

telling deaths was applied to that of his imperial patron13.
Nero kept Balbillus on the imperial payroll and appointed him praefect of Egypt14.
Other

Egyptians,

or Graeco-Egyptians

bearing

Egyptian

names,

were

associated

with

this

learned how to cast horoscopes from Thrasyllus. See Cramer, ARLP, 94; Tacitus, Annals
6, 21, trans. Moore,
1925-1937, vol. 3, 188f.; Cassius Dio 55 11, 1, trans. Cary, vol. 6, 420f.
9
Cf. The Yavanajataka of Sphujidhvaja, ed., trans., and comm. D. Pingree, Harvard oriental series
Having

48, 1978, 444f.

10
Most modern scholars view Babylonia as the originator of the fundamentals of astrology (B.L. van
der Waerden,
in: AfO 16, 1952-1953, 216-230; Cramer, ARLP, 3-5, 15). Recent variations see the
elements of this prophesying introduced from heterogenous beliefs and practices of
Babylonia and
Egypt, and synthesized in the milieu of Hellenistic Greece or the Near East. For the disseminators
of Hermetic astrology, see G. Fowden, The Egyptian Hermes: a historical approach to the late pagan
mind, 1986, 162.
11

not every astrologer endeared himself to the ruler by the news he bore. The
Egyptian
foretold in his native land [emphasis mine] the actual fate of Caligula. He was arrested
Apollonius
for clearly violating the edict of AD 11 and sent to Rome to answer for his crime.
Brought before
the emperor on the day of his assassination and condemned to suffer the death
penalty, Apollonius
survived because Caligula did not, and received amnesty under Claudius (Cramer, ARLP, 11 If.,
27If., 279; Cassius Dio 59 29, 4, trans. Cary, vol. 7, 358f.). For Balbillus, see Yavanajataka, ed.
Pingree, 423.
12
Cramer, ARLP, 114.
13
Cramer, ARLP, 115. In AD 52 Claudius "had renewed earlier expulsion orders banishing astrologers
from the capital and from Italy as well" (Tacitus, Annals
vol. 3, 390f.).
12, 52, trans. Moore,
Evidently Balbillus was exempted.
14
Cramer, ARLP, 126.
Although

the head

Chaeremon,

emperor.
astrological
maintaining

carefully

SAK 23

the Alexandrian

Museion

and himself

an Egyptian

astrologer

of

was Nero's

topics,

14 B. Bohleke

tutor15. Pamennes,
files would

preserved

two highly prominent

Roman
with
based on their consultation

When
was

of Nero.

consultation.
loger's
He was

paid with

instability

the fore,

of

Pamennes

habit

their

Nero's

following
the stakes

though

the fate of Pamennes

lives;

the indictment
and that

future

and

overthrow

for being

either

for

the astro

rifled

clients.

the astrologer.

remains

of

to be retained

continued
contacts

the clandestine

on

the opposition.

(imperial)

finding
incriminating
prepared
horoscopes
to proceed
to testify against
to Rome
them and

allowed
soon

on an island,

got wind

exile

their own

about

with

worked

of lese majeste,

accused

Pamennes

whose

for the two aspiring

tidy files,

Romans
The

fellow

were

clients

to exile

sentenced

Though

lead to calamity,

an author

The

two

unknown16.

the astrologers'
placed
predictory
or
the
about
wrong
right
aspirations

arts at
of

the

curious and ambitious had the potential for being too high. Of (Graeco?-)Egyptian des
cent,

Ptolemy

leader's
Viewed

and

incited

Otho's

ascendancy

death,

who
was

through
disliked

his

overthrow

to the

craft

as

throne,

had

risen

but survived

of them

of Galba
and

the elderly

by predicting

this patron's

demise

as well17.

"an ambitious

alone

by Vitellius,

executions

subsequent

Otho's

historians

contemporary

by

astrologer
Seleucus

Seleucus

to cast his

and unscrupulous
professional
to influence
and power"18,
Ptolemy

this emperor's
lot with

edicts

Vespasian,

against

astrologers
the reinstated

joining

Balbillus19.
Executions
Egyptian

astrologer

the Egyptian
devoured
be burned
tinguished

15

once more

commenced
Asclepion's

to predict

his

by dogs, Domitian
alive

Cramer, ARLP,

prediction
own

and canines

Domitian20,

who

of the emperor's

death. When

endeavored

and promptly

the pyre

under

time of death

the astrologer

to prove

replied

him wrong,

the

by compelling

that he would

be

that the astrologer

ordering
a rainstorm
ex
however,

buried.

the immolation,
During
soon tore apart the half-charred

82, 116; P.W. van der Horst, Chaeremon,

to discredit

sought

Egyptian

corpse21.

priest and Stoic philosopher,

1984.
16
17
18
19

Cramer, ARLP,

265, 272f.; Tacitus, Annals

Cramer, ARLP,

132, 272, 279.

16, 14, trans. Moore,

vol. 4, 356-359.

130 and note 447; page 160.

Cramer, ARLP,
134, 137f. On Vitellius' expulsion orders and execution of astrologers, see Cramer,
ARLP, 242-4, 270; Barton, Anc. astrol., 47f. (quoting Suetonius, Vitellius
14.4, trans. Rolfe, 268
Cramer, ARLP,

271).
Cramer, ARLP, 267.
21
Barton, Anc. astrol., 48f. (quoting Suetonius, Domitian
273f.
20

15.3, trans. Rolfe,

372-375); Cramer, ARLP,

1996

The

of Balbillus

breaching

the edict

the second

11 during
a Stoic who

of these being
to men

impartial

and matter"23.

have to be accepted.
necessarily
nor Stoicism.
He did, however,
of an Egyptian

tradition

130 was

of Memnon22.

the reigns

of Antoninus

deemed

that Fate was

the signs

Whatever

On

the other

join

the cult of Isis,

hand,

the statue

carried

priest

inv. 1132(B)

15

the emperor

in astrology,

in AD

on the colossus

in a graffito
of AD

of interest

to Egypt

visit

whose

astrologer

daughter

the height

witnessed

reign of Hadrian
a trained

being

and

in light of Papyrus CtYBR

Astrology

recorded
were

There
Pius

by

the grand
no trials for

and Marcus

the supreme

"rational

deity,

liked neither

and having

Aurelius,

indicated

in the heavens

Commodus

himself

shaved

would

astrology

his head

in the

in a religious

of Anubis

procession24.
not
astro
did
its
consulted
for
its
founder
twice
start,
get
dynasty
once
the reign of Marcus
Aurelius
future,
(for which
logers about his political
during
a
no
were
at which
and
there
second during the rule of Commodus,
time
repercussions)25
so odious
was
the emperor was considered
that Septimius
and
Severus
innocent
judged
The

almost

Severan

his accuser

crucified26.

When

he assumed

the purple,

however,

was

Severus

not so kindly

to forgiving
to be breaching
those purported
11. He put to
the edict of AD
disposed
a senator and the governor
death men who enquired
about his fate and condemned
of
Asia
because
the latter's nurse had dreamt
that her master
would
be emperor
and the
former

and

he had been

because

When

Egypt

the province

of material

the tomb of Alexander

Severus
Septimius
opened
the land for magical
the
extensive
in the
collection
writings,
enclosing
because
of a firm belief
in Alexander's
divine and magical
powers28, but

visiting

then scoured

tomb not only

also

to rid

aspirants
This

22
24

which

could

be

eventually

used

against

him

by

to the throne29.
overview

an Egyptian
featuring
an Egyptian
named

23

told of this portent27.

as emperor,

of

the

influence

slant,

comes

Serapio

told

of

astrology

to an end with
the emperor

Barton, Anc.

astrol., 46; Cramer, ARLP,

Cramer, ARLP, 51.

on Roman
Caracalla.
to his

face

leaders,

especially

Cassius

Dio

that his

assassination

recorded

that
that
was

172.

Cramer, ARLP, 208. (From the Scriptores historiae Augustae, Commodus 9.4-6, trans. D. Magie,
16.4 (vol. 1, 302f.), Pescennius Niger, 6.8-9 (vol.
1922-1932, vol. 1, 286-289; compare Commodus
1, 442f.), and Caracalla, 9.11 (vol. 2, 24-27).

25
Barton,
26

Anc.

astrol.,

209.

Barton,

Anc.

astrol.,

210,

Barton,

Anc.

astrol.,

212-4,

astrol.,

10.

27

269.
269f.;

Scriptores

historiae

Augustae,

Severus

15.4-5,

trans. Magie,

vol.

1, 404-407.
28
Barton,

29

Anc.

F. Cumont, L'Egypte des astrologues, 1937, 152f., note 4. (Both footnote 26 and 27
rely on Cassius
Dio, epitome 76 13, 2, trans. Cary, vol. 9, 224f.).

SAK 23

16 B. Bohleke

and even

imminent

successor.

his

named

for the revelation

In appreciation

Caracalla

had

Serapio thrown to a lion, which was kept at bay by the Egyptian holding out his hand.
As

he was

have

that he could
spirits30.
Most modern

of a personal

contexts

it may

be

astrology

in any

one

and practice

obscures

evolution

astrology

in that location

of astrology

effort

origins,
and

and perhaps

certain

based

and the earliest

casting
from

peculiarities
the reuse of earlier

of personal

the social
results

to translate

Egyptian

from Egypt,

syncretism

com
ante

of astrological

convictions

promising

to emanate

began

conjured

declared

horoscopal

must

been

have

context,

function

than

a search

texts

into Greek34,

indicating

of two or three

for

a rapid
(including

cultures35.

Mesopotamian)

Cramer, ARLP,
fingers

more

yields

literature

if not
ideas

and

intention

and understanding

a concerted

witnessed

this era Hermetic

and during

East,

of

to have

astronomical

and original

the origin,

said

to Mesopotamia

zodiac

of

the art, and because

The melange

location.

day

of astrology

recognizable

the origin

to seek

fruitless

another

elements

But

was

Serapio

lived

the origin

entered

Greece

of developed

specific
origins33.
Ptolemaic
Egypt

the

BC)31.

in the pot of the Hellenistic

cooked

30

(410

extent

cedents32,

if he had

there of the currently

horoscope

in new

ponents

method,

has assigned

scholarship

and to a lesser

successful

this also

survived

on the first appearance

Egypt

more

slain by another

215; Cassius Dio,

in a gesture

of magical

epitome 79 4, 4-5, trans. Cary, vol. 9, 346-349.

protection,

see R.K.

Ritner,

The

mechanics

For extending

of Ancient

Egyptian

from Serapio
practice, SAOC 54, 1993, 227-229. This Serapio is to be distinguished
an astrologer who flourished in the first century BC or AD, and whose writings are
Alexandrinus,
derived from Nechepso and Petosiris (cf. Yavanajataka, ed. Pingree, 440f.).

magical

31

in: JCS 6, 1952, 52-57; van der Waerden,

in: AfO 16, 1952-1953, 216-230; Cramer,
exact
13f.
O.
The
sciences in antiquity, 21969, 102f., 140.
ARLP, 3, 8,
(Berossus), 15f;
Neugebauer,
The surviving works of Teucer of Babylon attest his investigations of the planets, decans, signs of
the zodiac, and simultaneously rising stars. His floruit was the first century AD and his residence
A. Sachs,

the city near Memphis,

32
Barton,

33

Anc.

astrol.,

not the dying metropolis

29,

160;

Tester,

History,

inMesopotamia

(Yavanajataka, ed. Pingree, 442f.).

41.

18, 27.

Cumont, L'Egypte,
Cumont, L'Egypte, 25.
35
Cramer, ARLP, 15. "The emergence of Egypt as the most important center of astrological activities
in the Hellenistic world obscured the preceding long and solid Mesopotamian
contributions. A
literature, hermetic as well as "scientific," now widened
syncretistic complex of astrological

34

immeasurably the possibilities of applying astrological techniques to every field of human endeavor.
Not only the individual human being, but also the separate parts of the body were now
"scientifically" connected with astral influences" (Cramer, ARLP, 18).

1996

Astrology

doctrines

Astrological
cause

inv. 1132(B)

in light of Papyrus CtYBR

Hermetic

generated

of one expert,

in the opinion

literature,

17

be

velations

The corpus of Hermetic

"to all aspects of human experience"36.
or
more
of 42
works
the re
comprised
consisting
by the 3rd century AD37,
to his son and initiate Tat, imparting
Hermes
of the mystagogue
Trismegistus

a divine

visionary

sophical

dialogue38.

of their relevance

writings,

treatise

astrological

was

which

message

now

Known

only

the basis
from

settings, what they indicate for future

risings,
Because
the god Nebu
they are sovereign39.
not Egyptian,

Babylonian,

origin

potamian
was

majority

for the book

the "mingling

work

of those who

represents

a genuinely

the 36 decans

method

and which

in Greek,

events,

of celestial

and the five-day

is mentioned
some

and philo

the earliest

of 72 pictures

of time-keeping,

and

periods

five-day

scholars

have

Hermetic
their

signs,

over which

intervals
sought

are a

a Meso

and derivation

of Babylonian
have

this pseudo-scientific

fragments
a book

is the Salmeschoiniaka,

of

treated

Egyptian
dates

of the title, conceding

that the developed
and Egyptian
Greek astrological
traditions"40. The
the subject are convinced
that the Salmeschoiniaka

hermetic

work

to the early

whose

or mid-2nd

72

figures

century

BC

are

in the tradition

(depending

upon

of
the

authority)41.
36

Fowden, Egyptian Hermes, 91.

Barton, Anc. astrol., 25. For higher, fantastic numbers, seeW. Gundel/H.G. Gundel, Astrologumena:
die astrologische Literatur in der Antike und ihre Geschichte,
1966, 14.
38
Fowden, Egy. Hermes, 28.
39
see RE (neue Bearbeitung),
For a summary of the state of knowledge about the Salmeschoiniaka,
2.
Band
1914-1972,
Reihe, Suppl.
V, 1931, cols. 843-846.
40
note that if one
Tester, History, 21. What about, however, native Egyptian input? Additionally,
37

the number of figures from 72 to 36, the number of days per figure becomes
of the Egyptian week.

halves
41

10, the period

Sphaera: neue griechische Texte und

1967, 376ff., 377, note 3 for posited non-Egyptian
Untersuchungen
derivations of the title of the work, page 378 for Egyptian derivation of the title; Cramer, ARLP,
16; Fowden, Egyptian Hermes, 32, 37, 39, 139f. The integration or wholesale absorption of foreign
elements into Egyptian religious thought has an extended history from the "hocus pocus" spells of
Gundel/Gundel,

Astrologumena,
zur Geschichte

15f., 49, note

der Sternbilder,

18; F. Boll,

the Pyramid

Texts (PT 280, 281; Pyr., 219f.) to pHarris Magical

(H.O. Lange, Der magische
Det
danske
Videnskabernes
Selskab.
Harris,
Meddelelser,
Papyrus
Kongelige
Historisk-filologiske
Bind 14, No. 2, 1937, 98f. Spell Z [XII, 1-5]) and into the Graeco-Roman
in
period as witnessed
the Greek

and Demotic

magical papyri (for example, PGM IV.296-466; PGM IV.850-929; PGM

PGM
PGM VII.846-861;
ed. H.D. Betz, The Greek magical papyri in
V.424-435;
VII.795-821;
translation, including the Demotic spells, 21992, 44-46, 55f, 109, 140, 141 respectively).
Further,
were
on
occasion
into
absorbed
the
and
foreign gods
Egyptian pantheon
(e.g. Astarte
mythologized
and the Sea; LESt, 76-8la). The use of Nebu (=Mercury) is consonant with this tradition and may
lend a mystical or potent air to the text or be the writer's nod to the "Chaldeans" to enhance the
efficaciousness
of his text.

18 B. Bohleke

The

epigraphic

work

revelation

of

model

of

43

said

to have

its contents

dialogue

between

its composition

assigning

42

is mentioned

Salmeschoiniaka

been

from King
Hermes

SAK 23

in the earliest
by

composed

Nechepso42.
and Tat,

the manual

compatriots

Petosiris
on

Based

to distinguished

handbook,

astrologer's
the priest

of

the

idea

retained
the hoary

The expounding was, however, mutual.

See Depuydt, in :Enchoria
Vettius Valens, Anthologiae. Vettii Valentis Antiocheni Anthologiarum
1986, 138, 4-5 and 337, 25.

who
of
its

that pseudo
received

the

the Hermetic
legitimacy

by

past43. Numerous

21, 1994, 6 note 14, citing

libri novem, ed. D. Pingree,

A. Bouch6-Leclercq,
grecque, 1899, xi. Searching for historical figures behind the
L'astrologie
names Nechepso and Petosiris, modern scholars have postulated that "King Nechepso" might have
been anciently identified with Manetho's Nechepso,
second king of his 26th dynasty (Manetho,
trans.
ed.
and
W.G.
Waddell,
1971, 168-173). This would most likely be the
Aegyptiaca
(epitome),
Delta

dynast Nikauba, about whom nothing is known, his Egyptian name being preserved on a
broken counterpoise (K.A. Kitchen, The Third Intermediate Period in Egypt, 1100-650 B.C., with
suppl., 21986, ??116, 351, 356, 363; Table 4).

The "priest Petosiris" seems to have been the product of a conscious association with the high priest
of Thoth of Hermopolis Petosiris, who flourished in themid-4th century BC, and whose tomb shows
noticeable Hellenistic architectural and artistic influence. The hieroglyphic inscriptions in the tomb
(for which, see G. Lefebvre, Le tombeau de Petosiris, IFAO, 1923-1924,
preserve ancient and
traditional Egyptian religious concepts by including material from the Pyramid Texts, Book of the
Dead, and sun hymns. Even newly composed texts (by Petosiris himself?) appear on the tomb
walls. (For recent translations of select texts, see M. Lichtheim, Ancient Egyptian literature III,
1980, 44-54).
Barton (Anc. astrol., 26), following Gundel/Gundel
28, note 1) and F. Boll
(Astrologumena,
und
were
as the composers of the
believes
the
chosen
(Sternglaube
Sterndeutung, 1926, 23f.),
pair
seminal textbook on astrology because Petosiris represented "the prestige of the Egyptian priesthood,
and Nechepso

that of the Egyptian monarchy." Gundel/Gundel

(Astrologumena, 29) postulated that
was
chosen
he
because
ruled
the
time
of
the Assyrian invasions and introduction
Nechepso
during
of Mesopotamian
influences. Whereas
it seems that Petosiris' reputation outlasted his life and that
he was

as a kind of "saint" (Gundel/Gundel, Astrologumena,

3If.; Cramer, ARLP,
17;
ed.
Yavanajataka,
Pingree, 436), it is harder to imagine why the obscure kinglet Nechepso was
assigned the role of revelator of divine wisdom. The notion that he was an early astrologer should
viewed

be rejected (RE, v. 16, col. 2167; Cramer, ARLP, 17). Considering the heros of Demotic
tales and
hellenistic romances, such as Pedubast, Inaros, Pemu, Pedikhons, and Sesonchosis
(Sheshonq I, not
III!) were Libyan kings or princes, it becomes apparent that these dynasts were looked
back upon as heros of a golden age, much as "knights in shining armor" are treated in our own
"once upon a time" fairy tales. An astrological treatise was said to have been written in the time
of "Psammethicus" (Gundel/Gundel, Astrologumena,
35, 69).
Senwosret

1996

in Greek

fragments
been

presumed45;
educated
Egyptian
first

in light of Papyrus CtYBR inv. 1132(B)

Astrology

more

of the socially

around

the source

from which

all

the time of Chaeremon,

himself

were

household

and Nechepso

all the principles

synthesizing
the basis
was

for all later doctrine

to have

said

and very

dense,

and mysticism49.
From preserved
fragments
one
of which
is of direct relevance
categories,
and compilers

astrologers

excerpted

heavily

work

by

to this paper:
from Petosiris

The

duo's

fell

work

into four

astrology50.

and Nechepso,

as

of theology

elements

horoscopic

canon,

the system

in the opus

covered

authors

then had become

strong

drew

the names

treatise,

and dissemination48.

the topics

of horo

the topic

and enshrining

containing

handbook,

the basis
on

has
by an

to the purported

back

of an astrological

Their

This

group.

authors

subsequent

in Egyptian
in Greek

later46, became

of astrology

through manipulation

in verse

been

words.

and techniques

ethnic

referring

an author

work
written

initially

or a century

150 BC

for casting personal

horoscopes,
as "the Egyptians"
or "the ancients"47.
By

was
dominant

their information

Petosiris

an original

reasons,

the work

however,

in the language

and

astrology

For philological

likely,

on papyrus

set down

logical

survive44.

19

Later
them

among

(in chronological order) Dorotheus of Sidon (late 1st cent. AD), Ptolemy (2nd cent. AD),
Vettius

Valens

Alexandria
writing

(2nd-3rd

(fl. AD
in Greek

of astrological

380),

(except
"facts"

cent.

AD),

Firmicus

and Hephaestion
for Firmicus

and facets

Maternus)

to construct

Maternus

of Thebes
compiled
a horoscope

(4th
(fl. AD
a more

cent.
415).

AD),
These

Paul
notables,

or less helpful

and calculate

of

the length

record
of life

(by their time an illegal act).

44

E. Riess, in: Philologus Supp. 6, 1891-1893, 325-394. Additional

fragments have been published
in the Catalogus Codicum Astrologorum Graecorum,
12 vols., 1898-1953.
45
Cramer, ARLP, 16.
46
J. Schwartz, in: Livre du centenaire, 1880-1980, MIFAO
104, 1980, 320; Gundel/Gundel, Astro
note
105;
Fowden,
logumena,
11; Barton, Anc. astrol., 27f.; see too Boll,
Egyptian Hermes, 3,
CCAG VII, 129-131. The date 150 BC was favored because the circumstances in the treatise reflect
the political

and military events in Egypt and Syria at this time; see O.

in: JAOS 63,
Neugebauer,
1943, 121, citing W. Kroll, in: RE, vol. 16, col. 2160-2167 and Cumont, L'Egypte, 39.
47
Tester, History, 22, 49, 60; Gundel/Gundel, Astrologumena,
220; Yavanajataka, ed. Pingree, 201.
For only a few of the numerous examples, see Vettius Valens,
Anthologiae, ed. Pingree, 103, 8 and
453, 8; Ptolemy, Tetrabiblos 111.10,127, trans. F.E. Robbins, 1971, 270f., note 1; and Hephaestion
of Thebes, Hephaestionis Thebani Apotelesmaticorum,
ed. D. Pingree, vol. I, 1973, 4,23; 32,10;
52,9; 82,10 (mentioning Petosiris); 120,23 (mentioning Nechepso and Petosiris by name); vol. II (the
Terms per Dorotheus and "The Egyptians"): 138,17,25; 140,5,14; 142,4,13;
144,3,10; 145,27; 146,6;
148,1; 152,14; (the Terms per Ptolemy and "The Egyptians"):
154,18; 156,12).
48
Gundel/Gundel, Astrologumena,
34; Barton, Anc. astrol., 26.
49
32.
Gundel/Gundel, Astrologumena,
50

Barton,

Anc.

astrol.,

26.

20 B. Bohleke

The Egyptian

horoscopes

Greek,

the

paying

clientele

been

on papyri

either

native

to understand
would

Greek

from

the ancient

of the East

lingua franca

educated

wisdom,

Documentation

Astrological

Extant

SAK 23

Greek

and

been

it as the conveyor

and view

the expected

medium

in

exception

of Alexandria.

a gentry

or in the West

speakers,

without

stratum

the intellectual

the language

have

are nearly

world

With
to have

expected
of philosophy

and

the positions
and
was attributed
to

for recording

of the heavenly
wanderers.
Because
the synthesis
of astrology
the Egyptians
and Petosiris
in particular
and the ancient
in
civilization
Nechepso
to have been composed
and the Hermetic
works purported
in the native
general
script,
seem odd that so little remains of astrological
it may
in Demotic51.
works
The sum of the astrological
stems from the first two centuries AD
corpus in Demotic
aspects

though

the oldest

Demotic

lines,

is dated

the positions
the civil

between

within
Cleopatra
The

52
53

54

or decades

years

from

and presenting

the sun,

calendar

date

Jupiter,

is noted,
dates

in the first

this being

two

are
a Year

the occurrence

allows

two

nearly

by

and

orthographic

and moon

is O. Ashmolean,

afterward,

Egypt

several

by the lunar calendar

of

cast for the earliest

The horoscope

phenomenon.

horoscope

the lunar and civil

lines

decades.

lexical

Inked

difficulties,

to the reign

subsequently

date,
which

given

in
O.

of a Queen52.
in two more

14. Comparing
the discrepancy
to be placed
of the new moon

the 19th year of the 25 year lunar cycle, thus in 38 BC, during the reign of
VII53.
ostracon

the positions
51

Greek

and hieratic,

Ashmolean
After

down

written

doubtlessly

antedates

as a transient

viewed

and has been

continues

for eight more

of the remaining

planets

lines

(except

in decreasing

states

for Mercury)54

and

of preservation
the four

cardines:

with
the

see O. Neugebauer/H.B.
Van Hoesen, Greek horoscopes, Memoirs of the
Society 48, 1959, and D. Baccani, Oroscopi Greci: documentazione
papirologica, Ricerca Papirologica 1, 1992. Gundel and Gundel (Astrologumena, 35) postulated that
there ought to have been handbooks inDemotic corresponding to those from the hands of the Greek
and Latin compilers. If there was a non-historical construction which had been based on a fictitious

For the Greek evidence,

American Philosophical

attribution of the birth of astrology to Egypt, then there would

original handbooks equivalent to those in Greek and Latin.

be only derivative

works

and no

O. Neugebauer/R.A.

Parker, in: JEA 53, 1968, 231-234, pi. XXXVI, 2.

in: JEA 53, 1968, 233; R.A. Parker, The calendars of ancient
Neugebauer/Parker,
Egypt, SAOC 26,
1950, 25. See also the discussion of pCarlsberg 9 below.
It is odd that Jupiter is repeated after Venus in line 10. From line 7 to line 11 inclusive, the order
of planets is: Saturn, (Jupiter mentioned in line 3 with the sun), Mars, Venus, and then
Jupiter again.
Perhaps the sequence should have been from the slowest (outermost) planet to the swiftest
(innermost), Mercury. Thus, Jupiter in line 11 may be an error for Mercury.
(For another
substitution by error, see R.A. Parker, in: Grammata Demotika. Festschrift fiir Erich Liiddeckens
zum 15. Juni 1983, 1984, 142 in which Mars

is written

instead of Venus.)

1996

Astrology

ascendant,

mean

mesuranema

descendant,

or IMC)55. Each

caelum,

in light of Papyrus CtYBR inv. 1132(B)

caelum,

(medium

of the cardines

receives

21

or MC),

the label

and the hypogeion

(imum
to
ib "heart", here specialized

"center".

There

are a number

of difficulties

which

obscure

the full

reading
others defy

of

the text. While

es
traces (end of line 11), several
signs are illegible
interpretation,
the group ending
lines 5, 8, 9, and 10. The significance
of Libra 6? in line 4
pecially
on
a
an otherwise
the
star
which
has
determinative
it,
hinges
sign preceding
indicating
in that section
unknown
the
of the sky56. And whereas
astronomical(?)
phenomenon
some

of O. Ashmolean

publishers
Scorpio
triplicity
ment
of
Even

in line

the presence

a guess

not venture

could

of

as to what

two

preceded
constituted

Pisces

and

have
the fourth
signs may
with Pisces
If this conjecture
is correct,
the place
(here also the ascendant)57.
a
here and its significance
this information
still
be
would
mystery58.
if incompletely
O. Ashmolean
remarkable
about
evidence
understood,
yields
12,

these

The earliest
cast horoscope
a fully
in Demotic
astrological
practice.
displays
method
for
the
moment
information
of the
developed
recording
preliminary
regarding
out the names of the planets,
client's
birth. Instead of writing
zodiacal
signs, and astro
individual
Demotic/hieratic
the predecessors
of the sigla used up
terms,
logical
signs
to the present day - are already employed.
common
as ib "heart" and
words
such
Finally,

Egyptian

tni.t (<dni.t)

"division,

portion"

have

assumed

a specialized,

technical

definition

specific

to astrology59.

55

56

The ascendant

is the point on the horizon where the sign rises (0?), the descendant where it sets
mesuranema
The
(180?).
represents the apex or meridian (90?) and the hypogeion the nadir (270?).
on
For further details
and definition of the cardines, see Neugebauer/Van Hoesen, Greek horoscopes,
2-13. In O. Ashmolean: midheaven
(MC) (1. 6), [ascendant] (1.8), [descendant]
(1.11), and

[lower midheaven]
(=IMC) (1.13).
doubtlessly
Might it have been a comet or other ephemeral phenomenon whose existence at that time had been
recorded for posterity in some handbook? Comets were the topic of several treatises and had been
discussed in the work of Nechepso and Petosiris (Tester, History, 66f.). The amount of
degrees of
ascension separating any postulated comet from the sun in this
most
would
horoscope
likely
preclude its visibility, for it would not have approached near enough to our star to commence

shedding its surface substantially for the unaided eye to view.

On the efficacious aspect known as the triplicity, the four groups of three zodiacal
signs 120? apart,
see BoucheVLeclercq, L'astrologie grecque, 199-206;
Ptolemy, Tetrabiblos 1.18, trans. Robbins, 82
87; Neugebauer/Van
Hoesen, Greek horoscopes, 12f.
58
The mention of a triplicity in the fragmentary pCairo 50143 (discussed
below) may be reference
information in an otherwise lost astrologer's handbook, and thus not of
help in explaining the
presence of a triplicity in the current context.
59
The term tni.t also appears in pBerlin 8345, ti tni.t Sr "the
portion (KA,T)poq) 'son'" (G.R. Hughes,
in: Egyptological
Studies in honor of Richard A. Parker, 1986, 67). The
astrological definition of
57

22 B. Bohleke

living

in Medinet

posed

around AD

the nadir

("lake

ascendent

signs...,

position

at the given

and descendent,

midheaven

the same

individual

the 'Houses'

enumerating

data concerning
the reasons why,

of the individual

see pBerlin

8345

for whom

and

the com

of all twelve

to the zodiac

in its special

are drawn

from

the horoscope

was

no conclusions

O. Ashmolean

the fortunes

the tabulated

ostracon,

complete

in their relationship

As with

moment"62.

of the sky")

("lake

for the influence

"accounts

I/O. Strassburg,

Thompson

zodiacal

(For

cast by

been

the swSp, and the twr61. The most

of Duat"),

O. Collection

cast.

to have

claimed

a fragmentary
to the corpus60. Com
fifth no doubt belonging
Habu,
scheme of composition:
date, position
50, the ostraca share a common

and planets,

of sun, moon,

bined

on ostraca

are 4 horoscopes

There

SAK 23

below.)

The nearly contemporary O. Berlin P. 6152 is dated explicitly toYear 3 of Nero (AD
Demotic

A mysterious

57).
"old"

and

(iiw)

the Alexandrian
line

the last
indicated

by

thus be a reference

the ascendant.

specifies

the specialized

Madi

in the Fayum.

model

texts written

O. Medinet
luminaries
of varying

Parker

by novices

Madi

1154

of the luminaries

The words

and planets being duly noted,

out instead of being
for all are written

signs.

written

R.A.

a technical
indicate
term, may
perhaps
astrological
as opposed
to the use of the traditional Egyptian
to

The positions

calendar63.

latest horoscopes

The

sign,

in Egyptian
published
in a temple

are on ostraca
two of
school

excavated

the lot, noting

at which

in 1938

at Medinet

that the ostraca

the shards

became

were

archives.

records

the unspecified
of the planets
and
only
positions
in the zodiac;
the two texts on O. Medinet
Madi
1060 were
schoolboy
copies
As
Parker
stated, "the chief interest and value of these small texts
accuracy64.

lie in the paleographical

variants

and the zodiac65."

by this date, mid-December

Indeed,

they offer

for the signs

AD

of the planets,

sun and moon

171, the information

recording

tni.t is "Lot". (See clarification in footnote 97 below.) The most important Lot is that of Fortune;
others include Daimon, Eros, Necessity, Courage, and those specifying various family relations. As
for Lots in the horoscope, "they are not segments which together make up a complete circle, but
are rather specially endowed points in the chart of a nativity" (Manilius, Astronomica,
trans. G. P.
Gould,

1977, lxiv).
in: JAOS 63, 1943, 120.
61
in: JAOS 63, 1943, 118.
Neugebauer,
62
in: JAOS 63, 1943, 116, 118. For "Houses"
Neugebauer,
accurate; see footnote 97 below. The top section of this
in: OLZ 5, 1902, cols. 223-225.
Spiegelberg,
63
in: JEA 53, 1968, 234f., pi. XXXVI,
Neugebauer/Parker,
64
in:
Festschrift
Parker,
Luddeckens,
141-143, Taf. 23. The
60

Neugebauer,

1063, and 1066.

65

Parker, in: Festschrift

Luddeckens,

142.

the descriptor "Places" would be more

ostracon was initially published by W.
1.
other ostraca are O. Medinet Madi

842,

1996

in light of Papyrus CtYBR inv. 1132(B)

Astrology

the planetary

was

positions

that the later zodiacal

done

symbols

in signs,

solely

23

O. Neugebauer's

bolstering

assertion

from Demotic66.

originated

The coffin lid of the priest Heter, who died around AD 120 in Thebes, had originally
of the twelve zodiacal
by pictures
painted with "a large figure of Nut surrounded
had been added in Demotic
in mid-October
the positions
of the planets
signs" to which

been

93 at the moment

AD

The

of birth

from papyri

evidence

of the purchaser67.
is more

of astronomical/astrological

extensive
concern,

outlook,

and diverse,

encompassing

knowledge,

and origin.

distinct
Papyrus

lines
Berlin

8279, written in the Fayum after AD 42, is a copy of a hieratic original tabulating the
of the known

positions
pared

to modern

through

the zodiac

the positions
by the use of a fixed point near

explainable
and explained
tables"

planets

calculations,

the text68, concluding

and

mentioned

a combination

through
on the ecliptic

fixed

condemned

display
the vernal

that the planetary

by Ptolemy.

of calculation
-4? from

for the years

the vernal

He

and observation,
equinox

a consistent
equinox.

deviation

and

that

11. Com

in longitude

Neugebauer

data correspond
adds

to AD

16 BC

republished

with

the data were

that the use

at the time of Augustus

the "eternal
obtained

of a longitude
"precludes

the

possibility of deriving the longitudes of the planetary texts from Greek astronomy of the
period

66

67

between

Hipparchus

and Ptolemy"69.

O. Neugebauer,
in: Transactions of the American Philosophical
Society, n.s. 32, 1942, 245;
in:
JAOS
122f.
traced
the
for
Libra back through Demotic,
63,
1943,
Neugebauer,
carefully
sign
to
and
the
ih.t
for
"horizon."
hieratic,
hieroglyphic
sign
O. Neugebauer/R.

A. Parker, Egyptian astronomical texts HI, Brown Egyptological

Studies 6, 1969,
in:
JAOS
115.
93-95, pi. 50; Neugebauer,
63, 1943,
Originally published by H.K. Brugsch, in:
ZDMG 14, 1860, 15ff. and H.K. Brugsch, Recueil de monuments egyptiens dessines sur lieux et
publics sous les auspices de Son Altesse le vice-roi d'Egypte Mohammed-Said-Pacha,
1862-85, pi.
34 & 35. The painted ceiling of a tomb in Athribis depicts the planets and figures of the zodiac
in human, animal, and composite form. Two labeled &a-birds near Orion are those of the two
brothers originally buried in the tomb (Athribis, 12f., 23f., pi. xxxvi-xxxviii).
From the arrangement
of the luminaries and planets among the graphic depictions of the signs, Neugebauer and Parker (in:
JEA 53, 1968, 231) have determined the dates of the horoscopes to be AD 141 and 148, the birth
years of the brothers. All other inscriptions are in hieroglyphics
(see Neugebauer/Parker,
Egyptian
astronomical

68

69

texts III, 96-98, pi. 51).

in: Transactions of the American

Neugebauer,
Philosophical Society, n.s. 32, 1942, 209-250; pi. 1
27. For the earlier partial publication without the astronomical
explanation, see W. Spiegelberg,
Demotische Papyrus aus den koniglichen Museen zu Berlin, 1902, Taf. 99.
in: Transactions of the American Philosophical
Neugebauer,
Society, n.s. 32, 1942, 243. For con
clusions pertaining to the fixed point on the ecliptic and data on the tables
being obtained through
calculation and observation, see pages 240 and 242
respectively.

24 B. Bohleke

whether
the astronomical
To Neugebauer,
is without
for astrological
purposes
employed
are used for positions
of the planets
does not

SAK 23

tables

of pBerlin
interest. Because

8279

would

the signs

have

been

of the zodiac

to the author

that preoccupation
Neu
up his supposition,

indicate

of the data. To back

motivated
the tabulation
astrology
were
of "old-Egyptian
stated that if the tables
purposes
origin then astrological
gebauer
can certainly
no astrology
be excluded
because
existed
in Egypt before
the latest period
the numbers
of its history"70. The errors in the document
confusion
between
10 and 20
-would
if the Berlin papyrus had been copied from an original
be explainable
in hieratic,

with

in which
drawn
sition

are very similar71. The implication

been a pharaonic
("old-Egyptian")

script the signs for these numbers

that the hieratic
have
original would

free

of astrological
hieratic was
However,
texts

"sacred"

compo

influence.
used

as the Book

such

is then

even when

was

not only in
the Dead
and other funerary
but also
compositions,
These would have been for the most part composed

of

Demotic

the standard

script,

mathematical
in expository
treatises.
was developed,
before Demotic
but not necessarily
the horoscopic
(viz. O. Ashmolean,
ostracon
from the reign of Cleopatra
and pBerlin
8279 itself turns out to be further
VII)
van

B.L.
proof-in-point.
table" was calculated

der Waerden

and

tried

were
that all planetary
positions
known
methods72.
"Babylonian"
sitions
that

use

a fixed

origin

by

calculated,

the methods

this "eternal
by which
of each heavenly
body
and had been reckoned
by

at motions

looking
not observed,

the systematic
4?-5? difference
between
po
calculated
modern
methods
"means
longitudes
by
the zodiac,
with
the fixed
connected
stars, just as

Further,

in the text and actual

recorded

the texts

reexamined

to prove

of

moon

Babylonian

and planetary
tables do.
the origin of the zodiac
in our
...[H]ence
with that of the Babylonian
texts
and
observation
ephemerides
time"73. Thus contra Neugebauer,
whose
later rebuttal claims
the question

texts

Egyptian
of the latest

coincides

must
of computation
remain unanswered74,
the text could not be old Egyptian,
and its
raison d'etre would
be more astrological
than not. Any hieratic original would
have been
or even Roman
the Ptolemaic,
composed
during
period, by a scribe versed well enough
in the old

70
71
72

73

script

Neugebauer,

to give

his

tables

the aura of an antique

in: Transactions

of the American

in: Transactions

of the American

Neugebauer,
B.L. van der Waerden,

in: Koninklijke

50, 1947, 536-547;

782-788.

Van der Waerden,

in: Koninklijke

Philosophical

pedigree75.

Society,

n.s. 32, 1942, 235.

n.s. 32, 1942, 247.

Philosophical Society,
Nederlandsche Akademie van Wetenschappen,

Proceedings

Nederlandsche Akademie van Wetenschappen,

Proceedings 50,
be around the beginning of the Seleucid and Ptolemaic eras.
Hoesen,
Egyptian astronomical texts HI, 235-240, and earlier Neugebauer/Van
173, note 82.

1947, 537. This would

74

75

Neugebauer/Parker,
Greek horoscopes,
The astronomical
Egyptian

texts which unequivocally refer to an original and pre-Hellenistic, pre-astrological

trans
concept of the heavens are pCarlsberg 1 and la, written in hieratic with Demotic

1996

in light of Papyrus CtYBR

Astrology

The

Stobart

preserved,

365-day

Egyptian

unknown

were

columns

three

The

Egyptian

Tables

in the Berlin

had been

they were

methods,

drawn

of lunar

mathematical

The

8279.

to the invariably

papyrus76.
or presently
solely by "Babylonian"
as pBerlin
the same formulas
827977.

calculated

found

calculations

in pCarlsberg

influence.

Hellenistic

without

the result

9 are, however,

(Fayum), the layout of the papyrus follows

144 in Tebtunis

71

providing
two of which have

as opposed

calendar

up using

tables

the years AD

134 in Thebes,

an additional

tablets,

25

covering

after AD

sometime

on the Alexandrian

used

tables

of planetary

composed

based

calendar

the Stobart

Whether

tablets

to that of pBerlin

information

not been

native

gaps) were

substantial

132 (with
similar

four wooden

Tables,

inv. 1132(B)

of

after AD

Copied

the pattern "Year X of

1 of the moon".
These
Pius],
through Antoninus
l.p.h. (equals) Year
a
at
to
the beginning
of
the end of which
lunar cycle,
the new
years correspond
25-year
moon
this is a list
year. Following
365-day
again falls on the same day of the Egyptian
with Leo, the sign in which
the sun resided at the beginning
of the zodiac, commencing
Tiberius

[emperor

of

the Egyptian

numbers

sequential

at the time pCarlsberg

provide

the twenty-five

day of the second month

which
fifth

year

last part

and

remaining
already
No

"great"
from

doubt

the cycle

specifies
years

of each

the nine
(those with

lunations=9125

dates

"small"

(those with

dates

five

augmented,

and

a scheme

the 4th century

its purpose

of five

occur.

will

12 lunar months)

lunar month),

from

lines

to calculate

section

the new moon

intercalary

had

Thirdly,

in the next

used

years

festival
days

copied.

in the cycle

year

the added

the 12th dynasty78.

used to calculate
originally

25 years=309

9 was

BC

on
The
the

known

onward79,

and updated,

lation and commentary. They contain the cosmological

texts describing the depictions of Nut and
the decans found in the cenotaph of Seti I and the tomb ceiling of Ramses IV but date to the first
century AD and come from Tebtunis in the Fayum (O.H. Lange/O. Neugebauer, Papyrus Carlsberg
No.

1, ein hieratisch-demotischer

Text, Det Kongelige Danske Videnskabernes

kosmologischer
Bind
Nr.
in: Transactions of the
Skrifter,
1,
2, 1940; Neugebauer,
historisk-filologiske
n.s.
American Philosophical
in: JAOS 63, 1943, 124;
32, 1942, 238f.; Neugebauer,
Society,
Selskab,

76

Neugebauer/Parker,
Egyptian astronomical texts I, 33-94; pi. 36-43).
Stobart Tables: Neugebauer,
in: Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, n.s. 32, 1942,
texts III, 225-228,
astronomical
232-240. Originally
209-263; Neugebauer/Parker,
Egyptian
recherches sur la division
published by H.K. Brugsch, Nouvelles
sur
d'un
suivies
m6moire
des observations plan?taires consignees

77

en 6criture demotique, 1856.

Van der Waerden,
in: Koninklijke

Nederlandsche

Akademie

1947. For Neugebauer's

rebuttal, see both citations
78
Beni Hasan I, pi. xxiv-xxv and pages 54, 61.
79
Parker, Calendars, ?? 49-140, pages 13-29.

de 1'anee des anciens Egyptiens,

dans quatre tablettes 6gyptiennes

van Wetenschappen,

in footnote 74 above.

Proceedings

50,

26 B. Bohleke

by the addition

of the zodiac80.

Not

could

only

SAK 23

value

its original

be maintained

for distri

at the appropriate
to
of grain to the temples
times81, it could also be employed
as
as
a
and
O. Ashmolean)
for casting horoscopes
tool
lunar locations
determine
(such
or Alexandrian
into the Egyptian
lunar calendar
the Babylonian
for converting
year82.

bution

Lunar

conjunctions
the versos

fragments,

Neugebauer's
labeled
ments,
dates

papyrus

are also
of

and Parker's

which
exists
in sixteen
D4876,
topic of pVienna
to
information.
Due
of which
contain
the astronomical
the

three
main

interest

found
of

culations

in which

calculations

in Abusir-el-Melek,

lunar eclipses
sign in which

the zodiacal
sign

and how

related

cartonnage

the remaining
frag
Because
the
their companions83.
evidence,

were not published

as "astrological"
with
to the Roman
be illuminating
it would
period,

to the lunar phenomena,

to
the
lunar cycle
of the zodiac
25-year
the oldest direct
From 73 BC comes
elements

in astronomical

to see how

the astrological

elucidate

the relationship

this might

in pCarlsberg
984.
on eclipses
evidence

13146/13147
pBerlin
18 to 28 which
correspond

for Years
the moon

resides

at the moment

in Egypt. Retrieved
from
recto contains
the cal
to 84-73

of eclipse

BC.

is

Given

and sometimes

the

were

to be simultaneously.
The astronomical
predicted
were
to those used
in contemporary
done in a manner
similar
apparently
or
not
the
does
other
include any omina
texts85;
papyrus
astrological
interpre
certain

planets

Babylonian
tations or conclusions.
80

81
82

For pCarlsberg 9, see O. Neugebauer/A.

der
in: Quellen und Studien zur Geschichte
Volten,
Astronomie
und
B:
in
Mathematik
Studien. Band 4, 1938, 383-406; Neugebauer,
Physik, Abteilung
Transactions of the American Philosophical Society, n.s. 32, 1942, 240, 242f.; Neugebauer/Parker,
Egyptian

astronomical

texts

HI,

220-225;

K.-T.

Zauzich,

Van

der Waerden,

?? 90-104, pages
in: Koninklijke Nederlandsche

50,

1947, 785-788.

The author concedes

Parker, Calendars,

type of conversion
A Vienna Demotic

in: Enchoria

4,

1974,

157f.,

Taf.

12.

19-22.

van Wetenschappen,
Proceedings,
remains to be pursued in this area. The
is spelled out in col. A, lines 24-27 of a Vienna eclipse papyrus (R.A. Parker,
Studies 2, 1959, 5,
papyrus on eclipse- and lunar-omina, Brown Egyptological
Akadademie

that much work

10f.).

83

Neugebauer/Parker,
Egyptian astronomical texts III, 243-250.
84
Whereas contemporary scholarship has sometimes tiptoed around pseudo-science
latching onto texts
can
a
be studied in modern scientific context, I doubt very much that the Greek Imperial
which
world, especially in the first two centuries AD, would have undertaken astronomical pursuits without
exploiting the opportunity to seek out astrological meaning. Even Ptolemy, whose Almagest
cribes a cinematic "astronomical" model of the cosmos composed the substantial Tetrabiblos

des
as a

counterpart.

85

O. Neugebauer/R.A.
125, 1981, 312-327.

Parker/K.-T. Zauzich, in: Proceedings of the American Philosophical

Society,
The verso of the papyrus computes the dates of the solstices and equinoxes;

see Ibid., 323 and R.A. Parker/K.-T. Zauzich,

472-479.

in: Studies presented

to Hans Jakob Polotsky,

1981,

1996

in light of Papyrus CtYBR inv. 1132(B)

Astrology

The Vienna
from

D10111)

books,

separate

and

eclipsethe Fayum

lunar-omina

dates

papyrus

the first a treatise

AD86.

It represents

of the sun and moon

on eclipses

and

D6698

D6278-D6289,

(pVienna

to the late 2nd century

27

and

a copy

of two

their omina

for

of the year, hour

the (mis)fortunes
of the five depending
upon the month
occur.
or
the omina
The effects
could
of the day
night, and section of the sky in which
on one country or spread over two or more. The second book treats lunar
be concentrated
five

countries,

omina

86
87

other

than eclipses

over Egypt

and their influence

and "foreigners"87.

Nowhere

in

Parker, Vienna Demotic

papyrus.
Parker, Vienna Demotic papyrus, could not distinguish any difference between the terms pi itm ("the
disk") in the upper half of each column and ic\\ ("moon") in the lower half when they are considered
in relation to the vignettes, which are all colored full disks. He concludes that both terms refer to
the full moon, not the sun and moon respectively. The vignette in col. VIII (Ibid., 38) is black below
and dark yellow above while in col. IX, line 5 (page 42) the text states "if you see the moon at a
time when its northern part is black and it southern illuminated ...". These conditions, both
associated with the jch, not pi itm, best describe the first or last quarter moon when the darkened
other half can be discerned

against the celestial background.

Parker claims that it does not seem "possible to consider pi itm as referring to the sundisk" (page
35) because the sun's brilliance would preclude situations in which (black) disks or stars are
adjacent to or in (hry-ib) it. The moon,
true,

as Ptolemy

noted

Newton,

(R.R.

he writes,
Ancient

could occult

astronomical

stars and planets

observations

and

the

(page 36); this is

accelerations

of

the earth and moon,

1970, 156-164), though these objects would then be behind the lunar disk and
not apparent on its face. To occult three stars at once as pi itm does (col. XII, line 2, page 43)
would be a phenomenally rare event. (The ancients were well aware of the dark basaltic lunarmares
and crater basins, so these should not be considered for explaining black disks and stars.)
with Parker on this particular text, it must be noted that observations of
sunspots (black stars?) were observed perhaps as early as 1200 BC in the Far East. Around 350 BC,
Theophrastus of Athens, a pupil of Aristotle, made the earliest recorded observation of sunspots in

Without

disagreeing

theWest.

From 28 BC to AD

no less than 112 observations

hen's

egg,

date,

plum,

eyes

1638 the systematically kept annals of China, Japan, and Korea record
of sunspots, describing them as black emanations, or shaped like a

with

brows,

or

three-legged

crow.

These

observations

were

made

in

of cases at sunrise/sunset, but other atmospheric conditions such as dust storms, smoke
from fires, volcanic activity, and partially cloudy skies obscured the brilliance of the sun
enough
for the solar disk to be inspected.
the majority

only rare and fragmentary attestations of sunspots exist due to the misguided
respect
that the sun was a perfect body
paid to the teachings of Aristotle, whose philosophy maintained
without blemish. So prevalent and pervasive was this claim that in Einhard's Life of
Charlemagne
In theWest

a sunspot seen around AD 807 had to be

Even the Arabs,
reinterpreted as a transit of Mercury.
excellent astronomical observers and chroniclers but also the heirs toAristotle's works, forsook their
well-earned

knowledge of the skies for that scholar's pontification. Abu-1-Fadl Ja'far ibn al-Muktaft
(AD 907-977) recorded that the philosopher al-Kindf observed a spot on the sun inMay AD 840,

SAK 23

28 B. Bohleke

the zodiac

text does

either

and

into Demotic)

(transcribed

year

Babylonian

there is a concordance

Instead,

appear.

the fourth month

month,

of the roving

calendar

Egyptian

of the

calendar.

the first Babylonian

have

would

months

the Egyptian

of

is equated with Nisan,

the month of Choiak (IV Akhet)

Because

the months

between

with

coincided

the

beginning of the fixed lunar calendar from around 625 to 482 BC. What might be
fragments of the name of Darius I in the first book (Text A) tilts the date toward the
lower

limit.

introduction

of "judicial

called

(otherwise

astrology"

omen literature,
from Babylonian
took place during
a late copy, retained
its original
form without
papyrus,

derived

astrology),

the Vienna

and

the

Thus,

Hellenistic

astrology88.
in character

Matched

with

the Vienna

but distinct

papyrus

mundane

the 27th

dynasty,

the influence

in its employment

of

of

the

zodiac is pCairo 31222 originally published by W. Spiegelberg89 and later republished

and

Fayum,

pCairo's
Syria,

Egypt,

to the Roman
Dated
Hughes90.
period
is
to
the
economic,
purpose
predict
political,

by G.R.

explained

and Crete

at the time Sirius

the sun. Hughes

(not Parthia)91

out that such judicial

I of Hephaestion

in Book

tradition

Nechepso-Petosiris

the positions

in conjunction

rises, whether
pointed

from

of Thebes
and

(fl. AD

with

415),

sources92. Most

perhaps

and military

of the planets

(heliacal

astrology

and

has

whose

rising)
the same
work

interestingly,

from

the

events

of

in zodiacal

signs

or in opposition
to
tenor as that found

relies

Hughes

heavily

on

viewed

pCairo

the

he (erroneously) attributed to a transit of Venus. As much as Ptolemy had tried, he could not
observe actual transits of Mercury and Venus (black disk?) and actual ancient sightings of these

which

phenomena
For

are

a summary

unknown.
of

pre-telescopic

observations

of

solar

phenomena,

see R.J.

Bray/R.E.

Loughhead,

Sunspots, 1965, 1, and D. Justin Schove, ed., Sunspot cycles, 1983.

Might the Vienna text have been a copy of an original treatise describing both lunar and solar omina
but altered to describe only the moon out of deference to the prevailing Aristotelian philosophy? If
some of the black stars or disks seen on pi itm do refer to sunspots or transits of the inferior planets,
the observations

in the Vienna papyrus would constitute the sole examples of these phenomena
sources.

from

Egyptian or Babylonian
88
Parker, Vienna Demotic

papyrus, 28-30. Papyrus Florence 8, of unknown provenance and Roman

a
concordance
between the zodiac and the Tanis list of decans beginning with knm{t)
date, provides
as the first decan of Cancer (Neugebauer/Parker, Egyptian astronomical texts III, 252-254,
pi. 80C).

With

this easy transition from the traditional Egyptian division of the heavens into the zodiac, the
was
set for astrology to grow rapidly.
stage
89
W. Spiegelberg, Die demotischen Denkmaler II. Die demotischen Papyrus, CG 40, 1906-1908, 309
and pi. CXXIX.
90
G.R. Hughes, in: JNES 10, 1951, 256-264, pi. X.
91
Parker, Vienna Demotic papyrus, 11, note to line 26. To be read nl Grty "Crete".
92
in: JNES 10, 1951, 257.
Hughes,

1996

in light of Papyrus CtYBR inv. 1132(B)

Astrology

31222

as part of an astrologer's

cussed

below)

in casting
been

would

however,

there are preserved

a natal horoscope

Whereas

have

which,

handbook,

been

come

used

which
a few

only

the Egyptian

from

role

for casting

works

lengthy

for an individual,

as having

interpreted

have

in Greek

the same

assigning

29

to pBerlin

personal

would

assist

8345

horoscopes93.
an astrologer

of papyri

scraps

in Demotic

In addition

equivalent.

(dis

to pCairo

31222 and pBerlin 8345, yet another fragment may fall into this category. From the
Roman

period,

is the sixth planet

the zodiac
Papyrus
consists

two

of

columns

partial

the pattern

star95. Because

morning

(including
to the closest

of Mercury94.
to the 2nd century

32, dated

methods

Babylonian

planets

the furthest

"The 6th god isMercury.

the sun and moon), Mercury
to the sun. The three signs

the triplicity

represent

presently

the seven

from

counting

Carlsberg

2 lines of text reading,

preserves
Of

Libra, Aquarius".

[Gemini],

of

50143

pCairo

of

and

for describing

the swift

AD

and from Tebtunis

computes

by

the day-to-day

and complex

to

similar

procedures

motion

movements

in the Fayum,

of Mercury

as a

the innermost

of

planet,
for natal horoscopy
the positions
in which
of planets
at the hour of the patron's
birth must be plotted96. For casting an accurate
the
horoscope,
as
first required personal
data such
the day, hour, and location of the client's
astrologer
such precise

birth.

the tables

Secondly,

celestial

portenders

dictions
refer

concerning
to his handbook,

tary positions
creation,

93
94
95
96

are critical

calculations

at the moment
future

would

of health,

and most

would

positions

of birth. Before
for

prospects

which

in terms

proclivities,

of the planetary

the person

furnish
wealth,

other

aspects

under

fame,

could

career,

study,

travel,

of the human

fine-tune

he would

of single

interpretations

the locations

provide

the astrologer

experience.

his pre

once more

and combined
family,

of the

marriage,
Papyrus

plane
pro
Berlin

in: JNES

10, 1951, 257 and more recently Hughes, Egy. Studies Parker, 53-69.
Die
demotischen
Denkmaler III, 1932, Taf. LIX. Neugebauer, in: JAOS 63, 1943, 124,
Spiegelberg,
note 53. For date, see Neugebauer/Parker,
Egyptian astronomical texts III, 218.

Hughes,

R.A. Parker, in:AcOr 26,1962,

pi. 79B.

143-147; Neugebauer/Parker,

Egyptian astronomical

texts III, 240f.,

Three other texts of tabulations have defied interpretation, thus

they may or may not be astrological:
Roman
unknown
44,
pFlorence
period,
provenance, preserves various large periods of days, one of
which might signify the sidereal period of Jupiter
(Neugebauer/Parker, Egyptian astronomical texts
III, 250-252, pi. 80B); pOslo Inv. 1336, Roman period, Fayum, is a small fragment of two columns,
the first of which lists day numbers of mean difference 27;36
days. The sequence of number de
crease in column II is similar to that of
31
pCarlsberg
(following) (Ibid., 254f., pi. 79C); pCarlsberg
31, 2nd century AD, Tebtunis in the Fayum, consists of four fragments of
papyri tabulating numbers
associated with years in a linear function,
decreasing with a constant difference. The parameters and
the value of an individual period are unknown from other contexts
(Ibid., 241-243, pi. 79A; Parker,
in: AcOr 26, 1962, 143-147).

30 B. Bohleke

of

is the remains

8345
which

varied

provides

on

based

nations)
Places

Berlin
from

of an Egyptian

section
the fates

for

predictions

the presence

(X67COI, loci)

Papyrus
and comes

the interpretive

of Venus

SAK 23

of

handbook,

astrologer's

individuals

to rulers

(as opposed

and Mercury

in their

date within

the floruit

respective

or

horoscopic

at the time of birth97.

is of undetermined
the Fayum.

Roman

Currently

four partial

columns

of Egyptian

are preserved98.

astrology

One

scholar,

noting that each of the five planets in the dozen Places would have yielded 60 positions
and predictions,
columns

that this

postulated

when

Some

complete99.
to defining

stantial

sections

planets

or their various

section

Greek

the Places

of

the handbook

and Latin

would

treatises

astrological

and explaining

have

the significance

covered
dedicate

12
sub

of the presence

of

relations
(i.e., the geometric
among planets with respect
aspects
sun
moon
were
Whether
the
and
in
treated
is unknown;
the
signs)100.
pBerlin
text represents
the final columns
of the original, which
would
have begun with
and moved
to the faster-moving
inner planets,
and Mercury
ending with Venus

to the
extant
Saturn

(as is the case with the Stobart Tables, pBerlin 8279, and pLondiniensis 98 [below]).
The

the cosmos

sectioning

97

under

papyrus

study

to the

adhered

into eight Places.

Each

twelve

Place

theory

of the two remaining

as opposed
expositions

to that
is entitled

in: Egy. Studies Parker, 53 and Hughes, in: JNES 10, 1951, 257. Note that in both pub
Hughes,
lications Hughes uses the word "Houses" instead of Places for the translation of Demotic
c.wy.
Further, he equates the Houses with the Lots (Kkf\poi), which is not correct. Thus the technical
astrological

translation of c.wy is rightly "Places". In ancient astrology, the House (oIkoc;, domus,
the zodiacal sign in which the planet was thought to rule. The Place was one of

was

domicilium)
usually twelve stationary divisions of the sky through which
representing a distinct aspect of life. The Place is equivalent
as

the

"mundane

212-214

house".

(Cf. Tester,

25,

History,

29;

for

the signs rotated diurnally, each Place

to what is known inmodern astrology

definitions,

see

Barton,

Anc.

astrol.,

98f.,

and Neugebauer/Van

Hoesen, Greek horoscopes, 7-9.)

The source for the interpretations is no doubt the work of Nechepso and Petosiris. The
origin of the
Places has been attributed to Babylonia
in: ZAS 41, 1904, 123), Egypt (Tester,
(F. v. Oefele,
History, 25), and specifically Hermetic literature (Gundel/Gundel, Astrologumena,
21, 34, 64 note
98

7, and 110).

Spiegelberg, Dem. Pap. Berlin, 28, pi. 97.

Oefele, in: ZAS 41, 1904, 125. Hughes, in: Egy. Studies Parker, 53 postulates 18 to 19 columns.
100
Ptolemy, Tetrabiblos EI. 10,128, trans. Robbins, 272-275 and 272f., note 2. Vettius Valens, Antholo
giae IV, 12; IX, 3, ed. Pingree, 170-172, 320-323 respectively; see also Vettius Valens, Anthologies,

99

Livre

I, I, 21,

ed.,

trans. P. Monat,
159.

trans.,

comm.

1992-1994,

J.-F.

Bara,

1989,

110-122. Manilius,

180-191.

Firmicus

Astronomica

Maternus,

2.856-970,

Mathesis

trans. Gould,

II.XV-XXI,

lvi-lxi,

150

1996

ni

n pi

shny.w

standard
hance

in light of Papyrus CtYBR inv. 1132(B)

Astrology

order

ntr

"the

twi/swg

each Place

of Venus/Mercury"101.

influences

and commentary

31

the influence

whether

There

follow

of the planet

will

in
en

or penalize

the prospects
of health, wealth,
and luck. Beginning
with
reputation,
the ascendant
is given
in Egyptian.
These
(rc-hc.w) the name of each, where preserved,
to the more
common
in meaning
and Latin
Greek
of the
correspond
designations
are the cardines,
Places
followed
Places102. The most
significant
by the swSp (&7CO
loci 6, 9, and

KA,{|iaTa;
Greek

analogue;

12) that precede

loci 7 and

the three upper

and finally

cardines,

the twr (no

ll)103.

The Demotic ostraca, in conjunction with pBerlin 8345 show the Places to be of key
could

a nativity. When
in. These are the Demotic

in casting

importance

be filled
would

ceptively
prefer
labeling
were the scrap paper upon which
with
other

any planet
planets

near

within

the remaining

finally
astrologer

could

them),
each

of the Places,

which

It would

section

which

known,

a template

Thompson

quite

of the signs

are grouped
be

from

of handbook

per

the ostraca

Indeed,
nativity"104.
of the sun and moon were recorded

the location

by

of birth was

ostraca,

for casting

the locations

followed

to his

hour

horoscopic

"elements

three Places.

refer back

the client's

by cardines,

this

listing

(along

of the zodiac

"chart"

swSp,

that

interpretations

and

the

twr, and

the Egyptian
of prospects

for the future by the presence of specific planets (viz. pBerlin 8345) or zodiacal signs
within

the Places105.

Results
was most

101
Venus:

indicating
likely

such

discovered

labor actually
with

occurred

the Stobart

Tables

are found
in Thebes106,

in pLondiniensis
perhaps

98, which

constituting

part

col. I, line 1;Mercury: col. HI, line 10. As Hughes, in: JNES 10, 1951, 259, note 1
points
ni
out,
"the influences or results of
shny.w has the specialized meaning of xd drcoTeXteuaxa,
positions of the stars on human destiny". Hughes' article translated and interpreted pCairo 31222,
an astral omen text entitled ni shny.w Spd.t "the influences of Sothis", a fixed star.
102
H. Thompson,
in: PSBA 34, 1912, 228-231. For the Greek and Latin
see
designations,
Neugebauer/Van Hoesen, Greek horoscopes, 7f.; Bouche-Leclercq,
L'astrologie grecque, 276-288,
415-419; Boll, Sternglaube, 62f.
103
in: JAOS 63, 1943, 118f.
Neugebauer,
104
in:
PSBA 34, 1912, 227.
Thompson,
105
The scraps of papyri constituting P. Vindob. D. 6614 (ed. E.A.E.
Reymond, From the contents of
the libraries of the Suchos temples in the Fayyum, Part 2. From ancient
Egyptian hermetic writings,
1977, 143-157), whose precise meaning understandably escaped Reymond, preserve predictions for
one who is born in the Place (not House!) of the
"goddess" when one of the two luminaries is in
it. The sections containing predictions when the other five
planets are respectively present have been
lost (Hughes, in: Egy. Studies Parker, 69).
106
F.L1. Griffith, in: ZAS 38, 1900, 71f., note 2.

32 B. Bohleke

of an astrologer's
totally

kit107. Divided

the positions

recording
known

MC,

ascendant,

to

outermost

15 lines

the first and

in Greek

innermost

of column

IV have

Column

I-II).

then four Lots.

been

detailed

of the sun, moon,

(columns

in that order,

last of which

a highly

with

characterization

and descendant

IMC,

III and first

column

and astrological

from

planets

into six columns,

commences

the papyrus

destroyed,

SAK 23

The

erased108. When

are nearly
horoscope
and

the five

III fixes
last four

the

lines of

the text resumes

there is detailed discussion of the Periods of life and predictions regarding the fortunes
the client

of

these periods

during

the Greek

Following

of his

life109.

of the horoscope,

portion

whose

astronomical

data permit

a date

of AD 95 to be assigned110, a different hand takes up the discussion of the Periods of life

in Old

section of text (col. IV[end]-col.

VI) was noted by
Coptic111. This very difficult
to constitute
and H.B. Van Hoesen
a long excursus
on astrological
Neugebauer
doctrine,
more
"much
the
treatises
of
the
than
fifth
the
factual
state
resembling
century
simple
on papyrus"
ments
in the bulk of horoscopes
because
of the use of the Coptic
condi
tional,

"which

would

fit much

better

a general

astrological

treatise

than an individual

horoscope"112.

In a recent
forms

reanalysis

(the Coptic

for Neugebauer

conditionals,

107
Barton,

past)

of the conclusion
had

Anc.

been

above,

T. Barton
from

reinterpreted

and Van Hoesen's

F.LI.

understanding

questions
Griffith's

why

certain

translation

of the Old Coptic

verb
to be
horos

132.

astrol.,

108
Hoesen, Greek horoscopes, 28-32.
Neugebauer/Van
109
and medicine under the
Ibid., 32, 37f.; T. Barton, Power and knowledge: astrology, physiognomies,
Roman Empire, 1994, 87; Barton, Anc. astrol., 132. For the definition of the Periods of life, see
lOf.
Hoesen, Greek horoscopes,
Neugebauer/Van
110
Hoesen, Greek horoscopes, 34f. Thus, the date of its composition was sometime
Neugebauer/Van
in the early second century, contemporary with the Stobart Tables.
111
The Old Coptic section was originally published by C.W. Goodwin,
in: ZAS 6, 1868,
18-24.
Griffith's (in: ZAS 38, 1900, 71-93) work was the basis for an update by J. Cerny/P.E. Kahle/R. A.
in: JEA 43,

pi. XI-XII. Griffith (page 76) noted that the bad writing and
spelling made him suspect that the author was not Egyptian, and that his knowledge "was of the
language insufficient to enable him to write it phonetically with correctness, or even so as to be
properly intelligible". The author of the Greek text sometimes used demotic signs in the horoscopic
"chart" to spell the names of the decans (Neugebauer/Van Hoesen, Greek
horoscopes, 29). We might
have a case in which an Egyptian astrologer is better acquainted with the Greek
language and script

Parker,

1957, 86-100,

than the other astrologer. At this early stage of experimentation,

there would be no standardized
of transcribing Egyptian into such an alien system as Greek, trial and error and
idiosyncratic
method being the only path. There remain several ways
of
today
transcribing languages, e.g. Arabic
and Chinese, into Latin characters.
method

112
Neugebauer/Van

Hoesen,

Greek

horoscopes,

35,

37.

1996

in light of Papyrus CtYBR inv. 1132(B)

Astrology

33

as a treatise had hinged

of the Coptic
on J. Cerny's
condi
view of the evolution
- an
re
which might
have been preceded
tional113
by an unstated
assumption
opinion
the case for pLondiniensis
itself. Barton makes
the nature of the horoscope
98
garding
cope

the only

being

analysis

extracted

of predictions

compilation

ment

more

to provide

opus

in the Neugebauer
and Van Hoesen
(not retrospective)
horoscope
a treatise but a
one
not
than
and that it is in fact
prediction,

original

with

contradictory
own
to fit the client's

from

and vague

a treatise,

an actual

horoscopic

to undergo

had yet

which

pronouncements

draft

rough

refine

circumstances114.

First published by Spiegelberg115, who dated it to the 1st century AD, O StraBburg
D521

has most

been

likely

as a document
for teaching pur
by W.M. Muller
15 lines are enumerated
and critical Egyptian
unique
wn
The first line is labeled pi
pi 5 siw cnh "the list

explained

this text of only

poses116. Within
terms and associations.
astrological
of

the 5 living

time,
with

the planet

The
Stobart

the 5 living

order

in which

maleficent

which
5

names
the Egyptian
they are associated117.
siw

cnh irm ntr.w

of

the planets

rn.w

nb r-ir

(Saturn

In this ostracon,

8345.

and Mars)

planets

(Venus

are

the planets

separated

and Jupiter),

by

for

and,

5f. conclude

Lines

stars and all the gods which

constitute
are mentioned
the planets
from
diverges

and pBerlin

the beneficent

by

rn n pi

pi

of

Tables,

sidered

followed
with

gods

the statement

name(s)

from

stars"

dr.w

"(these

are)

the

8279,

the

their names"118.
that of pBerlin

whose

influences

the ambivalent

"an idea also

the first

this section

one

are con
(Mercury)

in the younger

expressed

order"119.

Babylonian

The second half of the ostracon is titled: pi wn ni si.w nty sr pi ibd 12 "the list of the
are

stars which
technical

name

[one

year designated

the

(among)

for the zodiac

the conclusion
months,

spread

in Egyptian,

states: dmd si.w 12 pi

star]

to the month".

by the old system

113
Cerny/Kahle/Parker,

in: JEA 43,

33, 37, 162.

12 months"120.
each

There

sign being

no collective
is apparently
a si.w
of) stars" as
"(group

ibd 1[2 wc? siw] r pi

Contained

ibd "Total 12 stars, 1[2]

in the list are the months

of ordinal month

plus

1957, 90 note 118, followed

season,

beginning

by Neugebauer/Van

of

the Egyptian
with III Peret,

Hoesen,

Greek

horoscopes,
114
Barton, Power and knowledge, 86f., 92; Barton, Anc. astrol., 131, 133.
115
W. Spiegelberg,
in: OLZ 5, 1902, cols. 6-9.
116
W.M. Muller, in: OLZ 5, 1902, cols. 135f. Further corrections and comments on O D521 were
pub
lished by Muller in: OLZ 6, 1903, cols. 8f.
117
Note that the anonymous astrologer authors of the Greek
pLondiniensis 130 and pOxyrhynchus 307
employ the Greek equivalents (Neugebauer/Van Hoesen, Greek horoscopes,
19-24).
118
in: JAOS 63, 1943, 121.
Neugebauer,
119
Ibid., 122; Neugebauer/Parker,
Egyptian astronomical texts III, 236.
120
in: JAOS 63, 1943, 121.
Neugebauer,

SAK 23

34 B. Bohleke

which

is coupled

of the 12 signs

I Akhet

Because

the first month

must

the sign in which

out
of the zodiac are written

the first

for

noted,

at the vernal

equinox121. All
text, as Spiegelberg

in the same

in Egyptian

time122.
and the sun never

to Scorpio,

corresponds

of the Alexandrian

the one used

be

the sun resided

to Aries,

in the Roman

calendar

in the ostracon.

sun was

The

in this sign during

stands

calendar
the Egyptian
on the Egyptian
in Scorpio

period,

located

New Year's Day from about 370 to 250 BC, and in Scorpio on any day in IAkhet from
to 130 BC123. These

370
must

have

attained

for O D521

information

or similar

treatise

P. CtYBR

realities

was

the

of

an Egyptian

compendium

of demotic

corpus

the lexical

a new

addition

1st century

parallel

circulating

AD.

the

Perhaps

or precedent

source

of

the

to the Nechepso-Petosiris

contemporaneously.

of

retains

destroyed.
letters on

the papyrus)
The

at some

described

length

above

pro

and conceptual
P. CtYBR
foundation
inv. 1132(B),
for understanding
to the sparce astrological
literature written
in Egyptian.
19cm
Measuring

the first of which

columns,

documentation

horoscopic

the fragment

17cm,

surface

which
the time of original
composition,
not to have updated
to
for the copiest
of O D521

designate

inv. 1132(B)124

vides

dates

an air of authority

to the calendrical

conform

The

early

papyrus

the verso

a title

is nearly

may

are Greek

completely
but

fragmentary
have

running

come

names

extant,

the second
and

reconstructable,
from Tebtunis,

dating

the

along

horizontally

and

palaeographically

the

the few

top above

(written

three

on a rough

third nearly

totally

discernable

Greek

to the 2nd

or 3rd cen

turies125.

121
in: JAOS 63, 1943, 121.
Neugebauer,
122
in:
OLZ 5, 1902, col. 8. The Stobart Tables and pBerlin 8279 designate all the signs
Spiegelberg,
by their demotic sigla. The three StraBburg ostraca write out the names instead, all 12 signs being
represented among these Medinet Habu horoscopes; seeW. Spiegelberg, in: ZAS 48,1910,146-150.
123
in: Transactions
of the American
Neugebauer,
Philosophical
Society, n.s. 32, 1942, 246f.;
in:
JAOS
122.
63,
1943,
Neugebauer,
124
I would like to extend my thanks to Dr. Robert G. Babcock, Edwin J. Beinecke Curator, Early
Books and Manuscripts, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University, for his kind
to publish this text. Dr. Ruth A. Duttenhoefer, Papyrologist, Beinecke Library, lent her
expertise to determine that the Greek name list is most likely on the recto. She has also informed
me that the Demotic is clearly written against the fibers.
125
S. Emmel, The Yale papyrus collection, 1993, no pagination; entry under P. CtYBR inv. 1132. The
permission

is one of a substantial number purchased in Cairo in early April 1931. According

to the
are
the
from
now
dealer,
papyri
Abutig (ancient Apotheke) and Tebtunis. (See
Depuydt, in: Enchoria
21, 1994, 1, note 1.) It was also in 1931 that important papyri, which formed the nucleus of the
papyrus

1996

in light of Papyrus CtYBR inv. 1132(B)

Astrology

35

Each column
contains
four headers,
above a five
every one of these in turn centered
a
name
a
of
line entry of number
ranges introducing
non-luminary
planet. The headers
names of the signs of the zodiac,
are the Egyptian
with Aries
(the vernal
commencing
to be easily restored.
and thus permitting
the last four in the destroyed
column
equinox),
a section
must
of an astrologer's
papyrus
represent
fragment
as unequal
the Terms
pentamerous
elucidating
(6pioc, fines, termini), defined
arc
are slotted
of each sign, in which
the five planets
in varying
of the 30?
This

handbook
divisions

sequence.
of a planet at the moment
the position
of birth is present within
the degree
range
a
as
to
to
it
is
be
"in
the
X".
act
said
Terms
of
The
Terms
"fine
assigned
thereby
planet,
own
lend
nature
to
their
the
beneficial/maleficent
influences;
they
tuning"
horoscopic

When

of a specific

ramifications

planet's

presence

within

a sign

and

its aspects

with

other

in the nativity126.

planets

in Florence and Copenhagen, were obtained from Tebtunis (S. Donadoni,

in: Acme 8,
1955, 74f.). Among them were pCarlsberg 1 (cosmological text), a papyrus for interpreting dreams
(A. Volten, Demotische
Traumdeutung
(Pap. Carlsberg XIII und XIV verso), AnAe 3, 1942),

collections

pCarlsberg 9 (lunar tables), pCarlsberg 31 (number tabulation associated with years), and Carlsberg
32 (motions of Mercury). P. CtYBR inv. 1088(B) and 1168(B), both currently unpublished, may
concern astrological matters. Clearly further research is warranted to identify where centers for
pursuits existed here. The most obvious answer to this is that in the cosmopolitan,
diverse
ethnically
Fayum the temple libraries, which conserved and generated many genres of
literary and scientific writings, counted astrology among the spheres of knowledge taught to young
scribes. The temple being the traditional Egyptian center for learning and literacy, the priests must
astrological

astrology a native subject whether it had been borrowed from their Greek overlords
or concocted in Egypt by Egyptians writing inGreek (Nechepso and Petosiris). I agree with
Depuydt
that P. CtYBR inv. 1132(B) is significant partly because "it shows that native Egyptians used terms
as an astrological medium in their mother tongue" (in: Enchoria 21, 1994, 6). However, this should

have considered

not

be

surprising

since

other

standard

horoscopic

tools

such

as

the cardines,

planets,

zodiacal

signs,

Places, Lots, triplicities, etc. are also attested in Demotic. I disagree strongly with Depuydt (Ibid.,
7f.) that political motives need to be pondered "for the Sitz-im-Leben of the Demotic specimen" and
that it was merely a "show-and-tell" piece for which "elucidation was the unique
privilege of the
class".
If
was
elucidation
the
of
the Greek ruling class, why
ruling Greek-speaking
unique privilege
were the equally potent Lots, Places, etc. "allowed" to be used in Demotic
horoscopes? And why
are there interpretive treatises (pBerlin 8345, P. Vindob. D. 6614, and
pLondiniensis 98) inDemotic
and Old Coptic? Obviously, the natives had positions, power, influence, and money
enough to seek
knowledge of their fortunes and fate. Astrology was not the sole prerogative of Roman or Greek.
That Terms have yet to appear in the few published Demotic
horoscopes is probably owed to the
statistics of preservation. They often do not appear in Greek
horoscopes, either.
For the contents of the libraries of the temples of Sobek, which included P. Vindob. D.
6614, see
ed. Reymond, Suchos temples.
126
For a definition of Terms, see
Hoesen,

Greek horoscopes,

Bouche-Leclercq,
L'astrologie grecque, 206, and Neugebauer/Van
12. This handbook might have been kept in the
temple archives.

SAK 23

36 B. Bohleke

have

Tetrabiblos

favored

being

the

and

inconsistency

to them within

assigned

be occupied

by

employed

the "Egyptian"
he

states

a certain

in which

the sign

(i.e.,

of Terms

which

opus,

text

ancient

commonly

notes

Ptolemy

Nechepso-Petosiris
houses

most

the systems

elucidated

In his

or original

no other Demotic

Whereas

the majority
of

each

sign. He

the ruler of a house,

by
or one which

the government

of astrologers

notes

compels

of planets

and

exalted

within

system

Egyptian

to criticize

Ptolemy
the quantity

that the first Term within

the planet

authors

of the (zodiacal)

to rule)127. The

is said

planet

the Greek

by their contemporary
astrologers.
no doubt derived
from the
system,
on

is based

the ordering

logic

list the Terms,

of

a given

the sign,

its

degrees

sign might

the ruler of a

a zodiacal
has no special "influence"
at all within
sign. Ptolemy
further questions
the sense of the sum derived
from the addition
of degrees
each planet
a human
the twelve
holds
among
signs for determining
lifespan. As the consummate
triplicity,

astronomer
degrees

dismantles

Ptolemy

of the Terms

the assertion

are linked with

that

the determination

the sum of all the rising

times

of

the order

of the planets

and
(i.e.,

for the two signs each planet rules). Almost

two thousand years later S.J. Tester
showed
that even the genius
of Ptolemy
could not unravel
of the Terms,
the complexities
and
that when
several factors are employed
to decode how the totals are reckoned,
it becomes
that the Terms

apparent

were

indeed

originally

based

on rising

times128.

never

defines
the Terms,
the reader knows
them and their usage.
assuming
a
table
of
the Egyptian
and the number
of planets
of degrees
provide
sequence
on
them
within
each
to
before
the
"Chaldean"
by
occupied
sign
system, which
moving
to
of
the
a
the
This
assigns
priority
position
system produces
planet ruling
triplicity129.
Ptolemy

He

does

regular,

8 in the first
found

sequence

repetitive

less

term

of planets

to 4 for the last130. The mechanical

credence

in the eyes

to maleficent
and first places
for an aspiring
client131.
horoscope
to formulate

a viable

of

the number

of degrees,

from

Caldean

planets

system,
though
logical,
and its assignment
of more
astrologers,
cast an optimistic
could not have helped

system

from what

of practicing

degrees

In his attempt

and assignment

and another which

is suspected
of being
(the "Egyptian"),
to have come upon a damaged
which
manuscript
yielded

seems

a chaotic,

too regular,
a consistent

irrational
Ptolemy
yet

one

claims

believable

127
Tetrabiblos 1.20, trans. Robbins, 90-97.
128
For the details of the complicated argument, see Tester, History, 74-76 and his use of the clima and
rising times in Neugebauer/Van Hoesen, Greek horoscopes, 3-5, 11.
129
Tetrabiblos 1.21, trans. Robbins, 98-101.
130
For clarification, see the table in BouchS-Leclercq,
L'astrologie grecque, 210.
131
Comment by trans. F.E. Robbins, 98, note 1, citing Bouche-Leclercq,
L'astrologie grecque, 210.

1996

rational

pattern

"ancient
system

attempt,

manuscript"
of his own manufacture
work,

Ptolemy's

not offer

only

in the number

with

"influences"

characteristics
of

never
like

suspiciously

and houses132.
triplicities,
saw practice,
and the mention
of an
a
the astronomer's
method
of veiling

in historical

which

guise.
a brief theoretical

"gives

background

for practice"133,
that of Vettius
Valens
provided
from which nativities
could be cast and interpreted. Valens'

in sequence

Egyptian

labors

guidance

tical handbook

and attribution
of degrees

such
the client

his/her

lifetime135.

of degrees,

union,

happy

under
Beside

such

archaic

might
system

and

is the

method

in Tetrabiblos
Term

so on, which

expect
of

but
for astrology
more of a prac

that given

in Libra134. Each

instability,

conditions

the

from

deviating

to three planets

assigned

as beauty,
born

37

the exaltations,

consideration

Ptolemy's

sounds

Unlike

course

into

taking

his noble

Despite

does

in light of Papyrus CtYBR inv. 1132(B)

Astrology

is imbued
would

to experience

Critodemus136,

be

in the
Valens

132
Tetrabiblos 1.21, trans. Robbins, 102-107.
133
Firmicus Maternus, Ancient astrology: theory and practice. Matheseos Libri VIII, trans. J.R. Bram,
1975, 4; Barton, Anc. astrol., 138f.; Tester, History, 70; Cramer, ARLP, 190. On the usefulness of
a handbook without

tables, see Barton, Power and knowledge, 201f.,

accompanying mathematical
note 225 and note 230. For manuscripts attributed to Valens, see Yavanajataka, ed. Pingree, 444f.
134
Livre I 1,3, trans. Bara, 78-90. Mercury: 5? (Vettius Valens) versus 8? (Ptolemy);
Anthologies,
Jupiter: 8? versus 7?; andMars: 4? versus 2?. See also Anthologiae Additamenta 5, ed. Pingree, 358.
of Thebes, cf. Dorothei Sidonii
Ptolemy follows Dorotheus of Sidon as found in Hephaestion
Carmen Astrologicum,
ed. D. Pingree, 1976, 429-431.
135
Barton, Anc. astrol., 114-131 casts an amusing, yet highly instructive natal horoscope for Prince
employing the influences of the Terms as stated in Vettius Valens' handbook to foresee
the prince's future. Concerning ourselves only with the influences of the Terms, the positions of five
anciently-known planets at the time of Charles' birth (leaving aside the more complex issue of the
Terms of the aspects, i.e., geometrical planetary relations such as triplicities), we may cite the
following, using Dorotheus as our authority, to indicate some experiences to which Charles might
Charles,

look forward or has already experienced:

is in the Terms and House of Venus

The moon

- Charles will have a

handsome

face and
to
he
and
is
all
II 33.11, ed. Pingree,
eyes,
agreeable
(page 127; Astrologicum
235).
Venus is in the Terms of Jupiter (in Libra) - Charles "should work as a steward for women and
amass some wealth thereby" (page 128; Astrologicum
II 31.2, ed. Pingree, 233).
is
in
the Terms and House of Mars (in Scorpio) - Charles "will be an insignificant fool,
Mercury
a shameless liar, neither believing in religion nor good works, and fond of
adultery. He may act
consort
and
with
treacherously
magicians. He will receive hostility from the people on the grounds
that he is an untrustworthy reprobate" (page 127; Astrologicum
II 32.3, ed. Pingree, 233).
Mars is in the Terms of Mercury (in Sagittarius) - Charles "will be reasonable, keen to
marry, clear
(in Taurus)

II 30.4, ed. Pingree, 232).

thinking and intelligent" (page 127; Astrologicum
the
a
is
with
Obviously
astrologer
dealing
disparate series of contradictory variables even with only

38 B. Bohleke

conserves

another

luminaries
fixed

fourth

The
to have

records

the Terms

Sidon,

whose

Pentateuch

in Vettius

or employ

method
system

verse.

with

the only writer

Firmicus Maternus
a
treatise in Latin
dedicates
chapter of his work
a planet
them and stating that when
is found
in
if it were

in its zodiacal

to Ptolemy's

according

of Terms

Pentateuch

in Greek

one

charts,

scheme

Egyptian
Later

Valens138.

house.

He

thereafter

and without

and compilers

authors

the
as

such

(fl. AD 380), Anonymous of 379, Hephaestion of Thebes (fl. AD

the Egyptian (fl. AD 500) either restate the Terms according to

Egyptian

The Egyptian

it assigns

Syracuse,

is as

there

found

415), and Rhetorius

Ptolemy's

by defining

exactly

Paul of Alexandria

from

astrological

its influence

embellishments

helpful

senator

commencing

Terms

work

AD

a major

composed

its own

the

the two

including

nocturnal137.

century

to the Terms,

of

this one

authorship,

as the system of the heptazone,

seven
of two
signs and consists

Known

to each

of degrees

the other

diurnal,

of unknown

the five planets.

among

number

of Terms

system

SAK 23

had been

assured

in a substantial

exists

horary

Covering

a reference

it in casting

horoscopes139.
early on. Dorotheus
prominence

number

and natal

to Hermetic

model

of fragments140,

tradition,

referring

composed
commences

Doretheus

astrology,

of
his

to himself

as

the

the king

of

four Terms, and though certain predictions ring true while others are not applicable, it is left to the
astute expert to edit and tailor from what knowledge he might have of his client.
136
Cf. Yavanajataka, ed. Pingree, 424-426. Critodemus was an Egyptian astrologer who flourished in
the late 1st century BC or early 1st century AD. His system of Terms followed a consistent pattern
in which

six planets, excluding the moon, "are listed in descending (Aries to Virgo) or ascending
to
(Libra
Pisces) order; the first planet of each sign is the second planet of the preceding sign; and
the first planet in Aries is the Sun" (Ibid., 212f.).

137
Anthologiae
138

IV 26, ed. Pingree,

grecque,

213f.

Firmicus

Maternus,

Mathesis

193; for explanation

II, 6,

trans. Monat,

and chart, see Bouch6-Leclercq,

98-100,

158f.,

note

L'astrologie

23.

139
Gundel/Gundel, Astrologumena,
220, 227.
Paul of Alexandria: Pauli Alexandrini Elementa Apotelesmatica
Ch. 3, ed. E. Boer, 1958, 11-14,
103; See citations inYavanajataka, ed. Pingree, 437f. and Gundel/Gundel, Astrologumena,
236-239;
Tester, History, 74.
of 379: CCAG V

1, 194-211; Gundel/Gundel, Astrologumena,

159, 239-241.
of
Thebes:
ed. Pingree, infra, (see index in vol. 1, page 424 and
Hephaestion
Apotelesmaticorum,
vol. 2, page 451 for citations of 6piov); see citations in Yavanajataka, ed.
Pingree, 429; Bouche
Anonymous

Leclercq, L'astrologie

grecque, xiv; Gundel/Gundel,

Astrologumena,

241-244; Barton, Anc.

astrol.,

81f.

Rhetorius
Astrologumena,

the Egyptian:

140
Cramer, ARLP,

249-151;

See citations
Barton,

186, note 308.

Anc.

in Yavanajataka,
astrol.,

82;

Tester,

ed. Pingree,
History,

94f.

439f.

and Gundel/Gundel,

1996

Astrology

Egypt

son Hermes141.

his

instructing

has now

Dorotheus

authority142,

show his strong

works

fragmentary

for the Egyptian

been

and senior

of Thrasyllus144,

temporary

in light of Papyrus CtYBR inv. 1132(B)

system

First

to the 1st century

dated

It was

which

though

he who

complex,

been

late Hellenistic

AD143, most
both

and Manetho,

of Anubio

influence145.

of Terms,

to have

thought

39

wrote
could

a con

likely

of whose

surviving
verse
the mnemonic
and more

be retained

readily

perpetuated146.
tactic was
Dorotheus'

Terms
is precisely
list of Egyptian
Ptolemy's
and compilers,
the tradition carried on by all later astrologers
who
that of Dorotheus147,
own more
the system over Ptolemy's
reasoned
maintained
(and consciously)
carefully
revision.

successful;

highly

to the success
of the author's
and as a testament
fortuitously,
on the Terms were excerpted
of Thebes
and have
by Hephaestion

Not

his verses

intentions,
come

down

to the present148.

Commentary

touch

recent

to Depuydt's

Owing

upon

1 has

Figure

The

1132(B).
number

what

constructed

numbers

preceding

attributed

in the number

141
Barton, Anc.

a truncated

only

is necessary

commentary

to

he did not mention.

been

of degrees

is variation

publication,

primarily
each

to them
of degrees

according

column

signify

in the "Egyptian"
(e.g.,

Libra

to the layout
the sequence
system

and Scorpio)

of P. CtYBR
of each

of Terms.
the first

inv.
and

planet

Where
are

there
those

of

... to have
claimed also "to have traveled in Egypt and Babylon
gathered the best of the sayings of the first authorities" (Ibid., 58).
142
117-121.
Gundel/Gundel, Astrologumena,
143
Yavanajataka, ed. Pingree, 426f.; Tester, History, 80, 88f.
144
Cramer, ARLP, 186, note 311.
145
Yavanajataka, ed. Pingree, 422 and 435f.; Gundel/Gundel,
Astrologumena,
fig. 2. Very little is
astrol., 57. Dorotheus

whose name suggests a native Egyptian, a Greek living in Egypt, or a

the
writer with Egyptian tradition. His reputation stems from having
pseudonym
associating
a
on
poem
composed
astrology in elegiacs. Manetho, born AD 80 was associated with the revelation
of magical doctrines and appears in connection with a compendium of astrological poetry titled the
known

about Anubio(n),

ed. A. Koechly,
Apotelesmatika
(Manethonis Apotelesmaticorum,
1858) and is said to have come
from Sebennytos. Some of his works were burned as magical texts in AD 487/8.
146
Barton, Power and knowledge, 90, citing Bouche-Leclercq,
L'astrologie grecque, 207f., notes that
an
memory played
important part in the practice of astrology. In a society where literacy was not
common, and books not written for ready reference, oral tradition would be the main purveyor of
knowledge.
147
Tester, History, 90.
148
I 1, 9; 28; 47; 66; 86; 105; 124; 144; 164; 183; 202; 222, ed.
Apotelesmaticorum
Pingree,
9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19, 22, 25, 27, 29 (=Astrologicum, ed. Pingree, 429-431).

4f., 7,

40 B. Bohleke

the second

Dorotheus,
extant

longer

The

of Ptolemy.

in the Beinecke

SAK 23

is reconstructed

papyrus,

in the last (left)

sequence

planetary

to the principle

according

no

column,

ex

below.

plained

Title
the horizontal

If preserved,

definition

Demotic

name

for

of the Terms.

to have

nomenclature

the zodiac,

at the top of

heading

been

the papyrus
not require

this need

However,

lost, for in O. StraBburg

each

constellation

being

521

have

would

any unknown
is no

there

technical
collective

special

as a siw and

designated

the

yielded

the total

ibd 12

"the twelve months." Based on this and other texts (pCairo 31221 and pBerlin 8345),
which

with

begin

reconstruct

the

[pi wn]

the influences

formulaic

ni s[hny.w

of the living

ni]

planets

nty sr nil]

[cnh.wl

sw.w(l)

n X",

''ni shny.w

heading

are distributed

which

one

might
ibd n rn[-f]...

tentatively
"the

the specified

(among)

list of

months".

first preserved

The

in red, the remainder

of signs done in black
group of signs is written
reser
last visible
I have read with extreme
group, over the second column,

ink149. The
vation.

Column 1 (right)
text begins

The

in the orthodox

the writings
Comparing
one gets:
Neugebauer150,
Aries:

The

spelling

of

manner

the four

with

with

signs

animal-hide

Aries,

with

the sign

of

the palaeolgraphic

determinative

is most

the Spring
charts

similar

equinox.

provided

by

to that found

in

pCarlsberg 9 col. I, 11 and O StraBburg D 521, line 7 (which deletes the animal-hide
determinative).
Taurus:

The

is unique,

orthography

(with added

stroke151

determinative
this

though

phonetic
appears more

is what

written

complement

'aleph)
than

serpentine

is surely

intended

with

phonetically
instead

the animal-hide

(see Saturn

upraised-arms

of the standard

steer

determinative

ki and
sign. The
in Aries,

below).

Gemini: The full writing is most similar to two Medinet Habu ostraca, O. Strassburg
(line 7) and O. Thompson I/O. Strassburg (line 20). The htre sign in CtYBR has two
horizontal

parallel

strokes,

a feature

found

in the symbol

used

in Stobart

Table

C2 rev.,

I, 5.

col.

149
siw is clear. The vertical sign after this word could be the plural -w
ending or the beginning
of

cnh.

150
in: JAOS 63, 1943, pi. 1, 3, and 4.
Neugebauer,
151
W. Erichsen, Demotisches Glossar, 1954, 554 right-hand column, bottom

left.

sign

1996

Astrology

\pi wn] ni s[hny.w ni] sw.w(l)

[ti nt ith/one who draws]

(1)12? [* Jupiter
(2)5?

[Venus

?/l]
?/?]

[Mercury

?/?]

(5)4?
(4)5?

[Mars
[Saturn

26/2]4
30]/27

[pi hr cnhlthe goat face]

] 6/1

(4)4?

[^Saturn]

111]

(1)7?
(2)7?
(5)4?

[Mercury]
[l Jupiter]
[TMars]

111]
111]
30/?]

[pi mw/thc water]

lion pi

(1)6?

Jupiter

(2)5?

Venus

(3)7?

Saturn

111]
111]
111]
[Jupiter
[Venus
111]
30/?]
f?c Saturn

[ni tbtelthe two fish]

iuVenus

(5)2?

Saturn

(3)8?

Mercury

(4)5?
(5)5?

kilthz

(5)6?

7/1
13/8
19/[14]
25/[20]
30/2[6]
pi

Mercury
Saturn

1: P. CtYBR

(1)8?

*cn Venus

(4)5?

Saturn

(2)6? Mercury
(3)8? Jupiter
(5)3? Mars

18/13

24/19
30/25

7/1
12/8

18/13
24/19
30/25

pair

*c *
(1)6?
Mercury
12/7
(4)7? Mars
18/13
(2)6? Jupiter
(3)5? Venus
(5)6? Saturn

knhdlthc

6/1

24/19
30/25

crab

6/1
12/7
18/13

(1)7?
(4)7?
(2)6?

0i Mars6/1
T
Jupiter
H
Venus

13/7
19/14

24/19

(5)4?

Saturn

25/20

25/30

(3)6?

Mercury

30/26

= ruler of the solar house

= exaltations;
signs in which planets are influential
=
depression
= ruler of the lunar house
= ruler of
triplicity: day/night/both

Fig.

*c Mars
l Saturn

12/8

bull

htrelthe

pi

scorpion

?/?]

H *?

(3)8?

[12orl3]/7

(3)877? Jupiter
*
(4)7? *Venus
(2)578? Mercury

(5)2?

19/[14]

[2]4/[20]
30/25

6/1

* Saturn
(1)6?
(5)472?Mars

ti dlilthe

30/?]

(2)6?

(4)7? Mars
[18/130rl4]
(3)4? Jupiter
[25]/19
To
30/26
(1)7?
Mercury

** Mars
(1)7?
(4)675? Jupiter
H
Venus
(2)4?

[l Mercury

7/1
Jupiter
Venus

pi

(2)10?

?/l]
?/?]
?/?]

[Saturn

(1)6?

13/8

[7]/[l]

(5)6? Mars
(4)6? Mercury

(4)9? [?Mars
(2)4? [*c Jupiter
(1)12? [ntVenus
(3)3?

ram

isw/ihe

ti ihi/the horizon

[*Mercury
[Mars

41

ibd n rn[=f]

ti rpilthe maiden

["Venus]

(1)7?
(4)5?
(3)7?
(2)6?
(5)5?

[cnh.wl nty sr nil]

pi me/the

(3)4?

(3)8?

in light of Papyrus CtYBR inv. 1132(B)

inv. 1132(B).

42 B. Bohleke

SAK 23

(line 8) and theMedinet

Cancer: The orthography is akin to O. Strassburg O D521

ostracon

Habu

then erased

Planets

otherwise

of the crab,

used

before

only

alone

a star

in Stobart

area

it, or the crab

to precede

sign

the symbol

have

examples

is the dark
feature of CtYBR
surrounding
interesting
was expunged
an erasure. Either the star determinative
to allow

the crab sign, designating

the crab

these

2). Whereas

(line

I, 12. An

col.

obv.,

270

includes

CtYBR

determinative,
Table

O Strassburg

sign had

been

initially

drawn

and

unsatisfactorily

redrawn.

being

(all columns)

is usually
(swgi): The name of the planet
spelled skb(w). Neugebauer
Parker list swgi as a "rare Demotic
variant"152. This spelling appears in pCairo 50143
8345 col. IV, 6.
I, 3 and as swg in pBerlin

and

Mercury

(pi ntr tiy): Written

Venus
pronunciation

of dwi.

determinative

after

Mars

"Horns

attribution

of the red planet

in pBerlin

8279

determinative
table C,

except

rev.

Jupiter
after which

I, 4,

to Ares,

here

the

of the Horus-standard

II, 26.

or perhaps

Madi

31222,

line 8. All

for pCtYBR.

The

the example

to reflect

tfy-sign

the knife
"Bloody"
considering
nature of the god, an aspect present
in the Greek
the god of war. Mars
is written with
the knife alone

the three Medinet

II, 6,

in pCairo

rev.

table C,

(dSr),

the sanguine

denoting

determinative

the Red"

the demonstrative

for the presence

except

spelling,

is that of Stobart

ntr,

(Hr-t?y):

determinative

The

with

phonetically

col.

other

standard

ostraca153,

and with

examples

are written
Hr-tS

orthography

the knife
without

star

and

the knife
in Stobart

is Hr-t$e

to pCtYBR.

closest

As the case with Mars,

the name of Jupiter is spelled
(Hr-piSti):
are the signs often used as shorthand
to designate
the planet
(e.g.,

out fully,
in pBerlin

8279 IX, 20 and XXI, 9).

Saturn

Like

(Hr-pi-ki):

with

the Horus

actly

as that for Aries

the names

for Mars

sign and Horus-standard

(see

above);

and Jupiter,

determinative.
here

The word

the animal-hide

commences

that of Saturn

sign

for bull

is clearly

ex

is spelled

that and not

serpent.

Column 2 (middle)
Leo:
diagonal

variant,

not preserved
to know

152
153

all extant

Unlike

after

whether

the others

examples,
having

the two vertical

and what

type

the mi-sickle
the horizontal
strokes

following

of determinative

the word

commencing
sign with
mi.
followed.

Neugebauer/Parker,
Egyptian astronomical texts III, 180.
Four examples: O. Firenze 1154, 1060a and b, and 1066.

vertical

It would

for lion

slash.

have

is the

The word

been

instructive

is

1996

The

Virgo:

Libra:

The

most

50143

Scorpio: The
determinative;

includes

remains

of

the

preceding

are

scorpion
the same way

written

not written

'aleph of dli,

elegant

and preserved

for all planets

spellings

terized

by full phonetic
as shorthand
employed

writings
in other

as that partially

in nearly

which
texts

the zodiac

of

signs

case

every

(especially

in the Stobart

and sometimes

Madi,

for designating

astrological

said to have
papyri
a common method

been

systems

is correct

Depuydt
only

in other
the

star

preserved

in

before

present

tables).

One

charac

the "sigla"

otherwise

31222,

the ostraca

include

8279,

pBerlin

are consistently

pCairo

is left with

pCtYBR inv. 1132(B) represents an inclusive methodological

those

perhaps most
the star sign seems

sign,

9 I, 8.

pCarlsberg

attests

this is a fuller

I, 3.

the final

large,

was

CtYBR

perhaps

obv.

of

rendering

the determinative

table A

spelling

The

attestations.

Medinet

I, 4. In pCtYBR,

to that in Stobart

similar

a unique

43

are lost. Otherwise,

and star determinative

examples.
seem to indicate

traces

to pCairo

similar

article

feminine

than all other

writing

The

in light of Papyrus CtYBR inv. 1132(B)

Astrology

variation

derived

of switches

which

Further,

in position

is ambiguous."

He

the spellings

from Thebes

tied to any particular

that across columns

noting

"consists

and Mercury,

not

signs.

and

that

nexus between the two

show

the Fayum,

similarities
in which

with
case

it

region.
(and

thus within
a malefic

between

further

the impression

points

out

the triplicities)
the
or
Saturn
Mars,
planet,

that the number

of degrees

attributed to each planet in the first two columns is indeed 6?, deviating only by having
one

instance

preliminary
The

arc being
of one planet's
can
be developed
analysis

Beinecke

5? and another

7? to compensate154.

However,

this

further.

is not randomly
of
though unique,
arranged. The sequence
as
that
of
the
In Taurus
and Gemini,
the
planets
system.
Egyptian
malefic
has been moved
from fourth position
to second,
in Scorpio
it is the benefic
has been moved.
in Virgo,
both systems
Also,
(Jupiter) which
except
respectively
give
to the same planet. Obviously,
first position
are related.
the two systems
in Aries

The

papyrus,

is the same

third column

also

shares

relationship

with

the 7toa6Tr|<;

(the number

of degrees

assigned to each planet) in theEgyptian system, which gives an imposing 12? to the first
planet in Sagittarius and Pisces (Jupiter and Venus respectively). Breaking the 6? ? 1?
rule of the first

154

Depuydt,

two columns,

in: Enchoria

the traces corresponding

21, 1994, 8.

to Sagittarius

assign

3? and 4? res

SAK 23

44 B. Bohleke

of the planetary
two planets155.
If the reconstruction
sequence
to the maleficent
have been assigned
these degrees
would
2 below)

to the

pectively
correct

(see

is

last

fig.

planets.
is there an underlying
logic
so that Jupiter = 1, Venus

But
numbers
chart

constructed

sequence,

the first eight

for

apparent

to these alterations?
2, Mercury

in which

Leo,

3,

of the triplicity.

a sequence

of the papyrus,

section
Note

that column

remains

4, and Saturn

has moved

the domain

point

one

it reverts

this pattern

Extrapolating

can be suggested

the

5,

forward

at which

signs,

in Aries
=

an echeloned

generates

signs

the planet

in the zodiacal
till it heads the planetary
sequence
position
back to the fourth position
and moves
forward once more.
the destroyed

the sequence

Assigning
=
Mars

zodiacal

(preserved)

with

beginning

into

for the third members

of the ambivalent

and malefic

or just

the repeating
1254.
1254/1234
sequence
as
not
Such echeloned
sequences
system of Terms. However,
aspects of the Egyptian
are
sun (but not the moon)
the
basis
which
included
the
Critodemus'
and
of
system,
they
a 5? arc within
each of these six "planets"
each sign156.
always
assigned
the system
there are now at least seven
Including
employed
by Indian astrologers

known

the Terms,
And

these

Modern
number
(including
features"
2nd

155

a certain

attack upon

fatalistic

as they call

to a certain

amongst

such as Neugebauer
between
Coptic)

they attribute

portion,

in each

they possess

them and

in their

and Van Hoesen

the data

and

them,

on

the "orthodox

to incomplete

current

have

the papyrus
doctrine",
knowledge

Sign

most

are those within

power;

tables

too158.
on "the great

remarked
or

and about

ostraca

leading

horoscopes
to "unexplained

of astrology

before

the

AD159.

century

Depuydt, in: Enchoria 21, 1994, 3 read "24" for the initial degree of the last planet, but the vertical
line is really the divider (or preposition r), not part of the number, which is clearly the sign for 7.
The curved line above this sign can only be the numeral 4, part of the number 24.

156

157

the Stars,

portion

discrepancies"
the one in Old

which

of

little disagreement

scholars

of

In his withering

noting:

is no

there

of the Terms157.

the Pyrrhonic Sextus Empiricus (fl. AD 175-200) criticized the doctrines

the "boundaries"
from

which,

share

of the disposition

variations

prognostication
of

I-IV

Columns

planets.

Yavanajataka,

ed.

Pingree,

212.

Ibid., 211-216.
158
Sextus Empiricus, Against the professors V.37-38,
trans. R.G. Bury, 1949, 338f. For more on the
life of Sextus, see Yavanajataka, ed. Pingree, 442 and Cramer, ARLP, 203-207.
159
Hoesen, Greek horoscopes, 35. Earlier in the present century Bouche-Leclercq
Neugebauer/Van
lamented that there had yet to be any interest in ascertaining whether the inhabitants of the Nile
always followed Dorotheus'
in cast

horoscopes.

Egyptian

system of Terms, especially

in light of specific discrepancies

1996

Astrology

Gemini

\<^

4
^^^\

ls^\

Cancer

Leo

J^^ ^^^

Virgo

^<^*

^^^

^^^

\ ^^

Sagittarius

l^i

\^^l
3
5
^^^\
\?^ 4

_t__^^\_-H_

l^z

Aquarius

Fig. 2: Sequence of planets

struction of missing data.

in preserved

on the two authors'

to this author

on

"the peculiarity

fluid

themes,"161

of

states

Barton

concerns,

doctrine

the methods

of astrological
systems

^^^

2t^\

53

inv. 1132(B)

and postulated

that the discrepancies

in early

astrology
the view

supports

theory,

in vogue

section of P. CtYBR

the idea of orthodox

because

a linear development

so much

45 3

4
A?^\

Pisces

variations

^^^

^^^

Capricorn

not

^^^

^^^

appear

J>^^\

^^^

^^^

^^^

Scorpio

Instead,

J^|

|T^^

Libra

features

12

Aries

Taurus

I III I IV I V

I II

II

Commenting

45

in light of Papyrus CtYBR inv. 1132(B)

but rather

concurrently

scope

and mutable

recon

and odd

is too rigid160.
that there was
for individual
over

time.

While pCtYBR fits into such a description of pre-2nd century AD astrology, it is far
from
Demotic

being

a random

list of Terms

sequence

of planets

is a noteworthy

Egyptian Terms modified

logical

and
blend

attribution

of

degrees.

of the Nechepso-Petosiris

Instead,
system

this
of

by the turn of the Era system codified by the Egyptian

160
Barton, Power and knowledge, 89.
161
note (L'astrologie grecque, 213, note 2)
Barton, Anc. astrol., 132. Also, see Bouche-Leclercq's
remark that each of several astrologers'
concerning Demophile's
systems of Terms was in
the
others'.
with
disagreement

46 B. Bohleke

But why?

Critodemus162.
of

the poet's

segment

Dorotheus'
verse

mnemonic

Terms

SAK 23

had become

in Greek,

which

would

the successful
have

been

standard
known

because

to a small

verse

not have been helpful when

of the Egyptian
This
would
the
population.
was recorded
or an Egyptian
a
in Demotic
native
astrologer
only
speaker.
some other device,
must
that of Critodemus
instead
of
be
oral,
being graphic
to serve the same mnemonic
purpose.

list of Terms
Therefore
employed

In this way

two early Egyptian

as the standard

system

ultimately
pCtYBR
as a system
1) which
the need

to compose

communication
boundaries

162
This makes

of Terms

turned
could

out

echeloned

pCtYBR possibly

to be a failed

graphs;
empire,

among

the likelihood

the time of Critodemus'

be perpetuated

in the Eastern
and popularized

around

to increase

united

methods

and,

2) which
it could

wider

The

it was

not

because

by the vast

orally

where
a much

experiment

floruit.

illiterate

was

be spread

success

system

without

the medium
beyond

in

as flexible

population

in Greek,
easily

of

of

provincial

audience.

the earliest attestation of both the Egyptian

and Critodemus

systems.

SAK 23 B. Bohleke

*tfsfti

^^i

Tafel 1

SBk

Papyras CtYBR inv. 1132(B)

.*oI6hI