The Influence of Orphic Beliefs on the Development of Hellenistic Astrology

Abstract

Orphism has been a scholarly battleground since the 19th century. Past and present conflicts within the field, as well as a general reluctance on the part of researchers to acknowledge the historical importance of astrology, have obscured the relevance of Orphic astrological motifs that may have influenced both the development of Hellenistic astrology and the cosmological aspects of philosophy from the Presocratic period through Plato to the late classical period and beyond. Consequently, there has been little or no research into the astrological dimension of Orphic beliefs. This paper, while not discussing the details of Hellenistic astrological techniques, is intended to open a discussion on the subject of Orphic influences on the development of Hellenistic astrology.