Astrological Roots: The Hellenistic Legacy

by Joseph Crane

Astrological The Hellenistic Legacy' is the first systematic presentation of Hellenistic astrology to the modern astrological world, and as such it uncovers rigorous techniques that have been lost to us for centuries. How exactly did ancient astrologers assess a chart for fame, career, and parents, love, and happiness? This book surveys ancient depictions of planets, affiliations between the planets and the zodiac, lots, houses or places, aspects, orientality, and fixed stars. Students and professional astrologers will find this book a treasure of astrological insight, technique, and new interpretative possibilities. Not only will you gain knowledge of how ancient astrologers practiced their trade, but you will also have new tools that apply to modern life.

Genres: Astrology

334 pages, Paperback

First published August 14, 2007

Reviews

[Joseph Soltero · Rating 5 out of 5]

EXCEPTIONALLY INFORMATIVE, INDISPENSABLE RESOURCE

Written like a college textbook, "Astrological Roots" nonetheless is a very approachable resource for learning how astrology was practiced two millennia ago in Ancient Greece.

Many concepts will be familiar: the descriptions of the planets, signs (zoidia), houses (places), triplicities. Others like sect, planetary joys, the extensive kinds of lots, time lords: not so much. But all are covered in patient detail. I'll add the few errors in grammar and spelling (including one whole chapter where one finds "Ascentions" in the heading) are not enough to detract from how the subjects are presented.

Hellenistic astrology is like stepping into another world--one of experience and perception. I realized from the very first chapter how much I've been missing with heliocentric astronomy. Not that I (or the author) deprecate it; we agree that's how things are--but not how we perceive them, something which Crane brilliantly explains by using a picture of a sunrise. Our perception of the sun, moon, planets, and stars revolving around the earth is just as important as the truth of the planets in orbit around our sun.

Crane's book has taught me to value the beauty and symmetry which our ancestors perceived in the world around them. Their astrology was an art form, meant to express how we're all in tune with the natural rhythms of earth and sky. This book gives me a deep appreciation of that rhythm, and, personally as a Christian, a deeper reverence for the works of God.

[Danny Brzozowski · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a huge disappointment. I should have loved it but there were technical issues that made it practically unreadable. The editing is terrible and the book is full of typos. Sometimes it looks like auto correct was used to check the spelling resulting in words inserted in sentences that make no sense in context. The text refers to charts and figures incorrectly, citing as examples features that are not in those charts or are placed somewhere else entirely. In addition to the editing problems, the author has decided to substitute his own "better" translations for common astrological terms, even basic ones like sign and house. This makes reading awkward for an experienced astrologer and will be confusing for beginners who then go on to study other sources following established nomenclature. I would have given this book five stars as a novel introduction and one of the only books examining Hellenic astrology, and will reconsider my rating if there are future editions which address the technical problems with this book, but as it stands I cannot recommend it.

[Gary W. Price · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent

Fills the gap where other hellenistic astrologers leave off. Now iknow the topic much better than I did before,
I would keep it for reference