Greek Astrological Treatises on Papyrus

Greek Astrological Treatises on Papyrus approaches a genre of text conventionally termed 'astrological'. This genre concerned how the stars 'influence' the world below them, which motivated the ancient study of how the stars moved, now considered 'astronomical'. The study of both branches of the astral sciences is essential for a complete history of astronomy, assessed in the discipline of the History of Science. This broader focus matters for ancient history too: fascination with the astral sciences--astrology included--spread across society, up to the highest levels, with practitioners receiving elite, royal, and imperial patronage. A comprehensive history of Graeco-Roman astrology which takes full account of both scientific and social aspects, remains to be written. This book contributes to addressing that lack by providing a rigorous and accessible presentation of the papyrus evidence for Graeco-Roman treatises on astrology. These sixty texts (including a handful of ostraka and parchment codex leaves) illustrate the wide range of theory and practice of, and other intellectual engagement with astrology far beyond what surfaces in the better-studied horoscopes. They also extend first-hand evidence centuries earlier than the manuscript tradition of astrological authors, and are essential for understanding what the ancients could do with astronomical data presented in horoscopes. The papyri illuminate Egypt as a microcosm of the fullness of the practice of the astral sciences, reflecting the non-elite circulation of knowledge, and also the unique position of the Nile valley in doctrinal evolution and transformation, between Mesopotamia, the cradle of mathematical astronomy, and the Hellenistic and Roman worlds.