ASTROLOGIA MUNDA - Classical Astrologer Weblog

Book IV – Astrologia Munda
Introduction
One of the first influential astrologer/writers of this period was the Greek
astrologer, Theophilus of Edessa (c.695-785). 1
From his earliest works, we can
learn something of the stage of development of the period’s mundane astrology.
In the introduction to his work on Elections for Wars he writes,
«The nature of the stars is specific, O most excellent Deucalion; their energy does not have a
single dwelling-place but a variegated one and diverse [characteristics] suitable for every type of
astrological influence, and each one of these things is especially made known in one generality for
the active [planet] with regard to the disposition and characteristic emphasis allotted to it, for
example in wars Mars and in speech Mercury, and in agricultural matters Saturn, and in matters of
love Venus; for while these have [their nature] thus, not only does Mars activate war, but Saturn
also accomplishes the ruin of kings and the taking of cities, as it is found in the mundane
astrological influences. But Mars also makes arsons, pestilential sicknesses, droughts, and
scarcities of fruits. Similarly too, Mercury [makes] armed robberies and disorders and irregularities
in life, or else it is called "the messenger," and it awards peace.
Similarly too, in genethlialogical astrological influences, we find the stars acting one way and
another and signifying in accordance with their configurations and their alternations of houses -
[sometimes] indeed the malefics acting as benefics and the benefics being inactive, but still the
astrological influences are activated in accordance with the chart and the determination of their
individual degrees. And in view of this, the wise men of astrology made use of the stars by a
mixture of their natures - not only distinguishing [them] in their most individual [significances] and
according to [the nature of] each but also in those [significances] that are the most general and
specialized - for example, about war; and they used all the stars and also the lights for working
with a single chart.
And I kept this in mind because I know that military methods are seldom found in [the books of]
the ancients, other than that from the mundane astrological influences [we can see that] there is
going to be war and captivity in this or that land, neglecting of course the more particular things,
and in particular the expeditions or counter-expeditions that are made, [the rise of] tyrants, and
those actions that are done in season and are provoked, I say, by two armies when they are
encamped facing and attacking each other, of which it was difficult to find accurate day-by-day
accounts in the books of the ancients.
And, having turned my mind to this, I thought it necessary to make a change and to draw from the
genethlialogical and horary systems some elections for war that have plausibility together with the
truth, since I had also really had the proof of these in many [instances] - having been forced, as
1 In his old age he was made court astrologer to the successor of al-Mansūr; the Caliph al-Mahdī
(d.785). He also wrote some very important volumes on astrology, Works on Elections for Wars
and Campaigns and Sovereignty; Astrological Effects; Collection on Cosmic Beginnings. For
the most part these works were on mundane and electional astrology and these books have been
preserved more or less intact, along with fragments of their Arabic versions. Some selections from
the Greek texts have been published in the CCAG. He was largely influenced by the writings of
Dorotheus and Hephæstio.
5