Astrologers Chris Brennan and Sam Ogden delve into the mysteries of the Antikythera Mechanism, discussing its intricate design, astrological connections, and historical significance. They explore the device's role in predicting celestial events, its ties to ancient astrology, and the complexities of its planetary dials. The conversation also touches on the origins of Hellenistic astrology, the influence of Mesopotamian astrology on Greek philosophy, and the evolution of astrological thought from omen-based traditions to a naturalistic view.
The Antikythera mechanism was a significant discovery showcasing advanced ancient technology capabilities.
The device revealed an innovative planetary order influencing Hellenistic astrology and cosmological models.
The potential linkage of Archimedes to the device suggests early sophisticated design inspirations.
The Antikythera mechanism's intricate design hints at its dual implications in planetary order and seasonal symbolism.
Specific stones may have represented planets on the mechanism's pointers, aiding in astrological consultations.
Prominent figures like Pausidonius and Thrasalus in Rhodes played key roles in bridging philosophy, astronomy, and astrology.
Deep dives
Introduction of the Antikythera Mechanism and its Capabilities
The Antikythera mechanism is a complex mechanical device from the first century BCE found in an ancient shipwreck. Capable of calculating planet positions and predicting eclipses, it was a significant discovery that redefined ancient technology standards. The device was reconstructed by researchers over time, with advanced x-ray technology revealing its astronomical and timekeeping functions, including planetary positions and festival calculations.
Historical Context and Significance of the Antikythera Mechanism
Discovered in 1900, the device challenged existing beliefs about ancient technological capabilities. It provided evidence of advanced mechanics far ahead of its time, with its creation potentially linked to the workshop in Rhodes. The planetary order it depicted, known as the order of the seven-zone sphere, revolutionized cosmological models in the second century BCE and influenced the emergence of Hellenistic astrology.
Influence of Archimedes and Astrological Cosmology
Archimedes potentially developed early versions of the mechanism, inspiring the later sophisticated design of the Antikythera device. The planetary order embedded in the device reflected the evolving astrological and astronomical customs, influencing future cosmological perspectives. The device's dual implications of planetary order and potential seasonal symbolism highlight its significance in understanding ancient astronomical and astrological developments.
The Complex Design of the Antikythera Mechanism
The Antikythera mechanism is a box containing metal gears encased in a wooden box, displaying dials with zodiac signs, Egyptian calendar months, and planetary pointers. On the back, there are spiral dials for predicting eclipses and tracking events like the Olympic Games. The intricate design features a weighted pointer for lunar phases and planetary pointers possibly using different colored spheres for each planet.
The Use of Stones for Planetary Pointers
Historical findings suggest astrologers used specific stones for planets matching their qualities. The Antikythera mechanism may have used stones to represent planets on pointers. While the surviving pointers' appearance remains unclear, the mechanism's complexity hints at its significance in astrology and astronomy, potentially aiding in astrological consultations and teaching.
The Integration of Astrological Concepts
The Antikythera mechanism's unique layout challenges traditional astrological movements, depicting zodiac signs and planetary motion in a clockwise direction. Despite this unconventional design, it aligns with cosmological and astrological teachings, hinting at broader philosophical and religious implications such as explaining the birth chart of God and uniting technical aspects with philosophical constructs.
Pausidonius and his Astrological Perspective
Pausidonius, a philosopher deeply interested in the natural world and a stoic thinker, had a significant influence on the philosophical grounding of astrology. His ideas on cosmic sympathy and the celestial bodies impacting life on earth were pivotal in understanding the causal relations in astrology. Living in Rhodes in the first century BCE, Pausidonius was not only involved in philosophy and science but also ventured into astrology, establishing a connection between philosophical thought and astrological principles. Possessing a device akin to the Antikythera mechanism in Rhodes, Pausidonius represented a key figure who bridged the realms of philosophy, astronomy, and astrology.
Thrasalus and the Astrological Tradition on Rhodes
Thrasalus, a renowned astrologer working on the island of Rhodes, exemplified the rich astrological tradition present in Rhodes during the first century BCE. As a prominent astrologer sought after by figures like Roman Emperor Tiberius, Thrasalus occupied a crucial position in the astrological community, possibly being among the privileged few who could access sophisticated astronomical devices like the Antikythera mechanism. Rhodes served as a hub for prominent astrologers like Thrasalus, highlighting the island's significance as a center for astrology and astronomical studies during antiquity.
Significance of Roads in Facilitating Astrological Endeavors
Roads, situated at the crossroads between Greek civilization and the eastern regions, emerged as a vital center for astronomy and astrology during antiquity. With notable scholars and astrologers like Pausidonius, Thrasalus, and potentially Critodemus associated with the island, Roads played a pivotal role in fostering astrological innovation and research. The island's proximity to regions of astronomical significance, such as Alexandria and Coz, and its historical connections to renowned figures in astrology, reinforced its status as a vibrant hub for astrological endeavors and technological advancements like the Antikythera mechanism.
Origins of the Antikythera Mechanism and Workshop Destruction
The podcast delves into the possible reasons for the rarity of similar mechanisms to the Antikythera device, suggesting that work on such devices may have been hindered by historical events. The destruction of workshops associated with creating these mechanisms during periods of conflict, such as the sack of Sicily, could have limited the proliferation of similar devices, impacting their continuity and production.
Technological Decline and Revival in Western Europe
Discussions in the podcast highlight a decline in technical innovation in Western Europe following the Roman Empire's decline, where periodic destruction, loss of literacy, and upheavals led to a regression in mechanical knowledge. However, innovation and mechanical knowledge gradually reemerged during the Middle Ages and later, with advancements seen in the development of astrolabes and other mechanical devices, showcasing a cyclic pattern of technological progression and decline.
In episode 440 astrologers Chris Brennan and Sam Ogden discuss the Antikythera Mechanism, which is a complex mechanical device that was recovered from an ancient shipwreck, and how it may have been used for astrology.
The Antikythera Mechanism was discovered in the year 1901 by a group of sponge divers who found an ancient shipwreck near a Greek island named Antikythera.
They had found a Greek merchant ship that sank around the year 60 BCE, and divers were able to recover a number of ancient statues, pottery, as well as a corroded mechanical device with lots of gears.
Over the past century a series of researchers have slowly reconstructed the device, and recently advanced X-ray scans have allowed scholars to look inside to see how it worked.
We now know that it was a complex astronomical device that depicted the movements of the cosmos, and it was also a sort of mechanical calculator or computer that could compute positions of the planets in the past or future, predict when eclipses would occur, and more.
The discovery of the Antikythera Mechanism is important because it is far more advanced than what was previously thought possible in terms of technology around the 1st century BCE, and similar devices were not reinvented in Europe until after 13th century.
For our purposes as astrologers the most interesting piece is how the Antikythera Mechanism ties in with the history of ancient astrology, and that there is in fact some evidence the device was used for astrological purposes, as well as that there was at least one astrologer who is said to have owned a similar device.
In this episode we situate the device within the context of the history of astrology, talk about its possible astrological uses, and also discuss how the mechanism may helps us to reconstruct the origins of Hellenistic astrology as a result of the planetary order depicted on the device.
This episode is available in both audio and video versions below.
Sam's Website
http://www.brothermoonhealing.com
Sources and Further Reading
Alexander Jones, A Portable Cosmos: Revealing the Antikythera Mechanism, Scientific Wonder of the Ancient World, Oxford University Press, 2017.
Tony Freeth and Alexander Jones, "The Cosmos in the Antikythera Mechanism," ISAW Papers 4 (February, 2012).
Tony Freeth, D. Huggon, A. Decanalis, et al, "A Model of the Cosmos in the ancient Greek Antikythera Mechanism," in Scientific Reports, 11, 5821 (2021).
Tony Freeth, “Wonder of the Ancient World,” in Scientific American Magazine, Vol. 326, No. 1 (January 2022), p. 24.
Timestamps
00:00:00 Introduction
00:00:17 Antikythera Mechanism overview
00:06:39 Alexander Jones’ book on the device
00:10:59 Discovery of the Antikythera Mechanism
00:19:54 Chart for the discovery
00:27:54 Reconstructing the device
00:30:40 Dating the shipwreck and Mechanism
00:34:00 Geography: Antikythera, Rhodes, and Epirus
00:40:00 Transmission of Mesopotamian astrology
00:44:58 Archimedes
00:50:45 Planetary order dating
00:54:53 Order of the Seven Zoned Sphere
01:04:53 Planets and other dials on the device
01:15:15 How astrologers may have used the device
01:31:25 Astrologer’s boards
01:48:42 Dimensionality in the cosmos
01:53:00 Ascent and descent of the soul through the spheres
01:57:00 Thema Mundi depicted on the Antikythera Mechanism?
02:19:38 Geminos and the Thema Mundi
02:24:13 Eclipse prediction
02:41:15 Posidonius and astrologers with devices
03:05:50 Astrologers in Rhodes: Thrasyllus and Critodemus
03:15:45 Sphere-making tradition
03:20:20 Loss of this technology; rise of astrolabes
03:27:36 Balbillus
03:28:26 Researchers of the Antikythera Mechanism
03:30:27 Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny
03:31:09 Planets moving clockwise in the Mechanism
03:32:39 Trade secrets
03:35:13 Origins of Hellenistic astrology
03:37:33 Stoicism, fate, astrology, and Mechanisms
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