Astrology: A History

This scintillating history traces the key role astrology has played in the mainstream of Western intellectual life for more than two millennia. Peter Whitfield brings together research from ancient, classical, medieval, and modern times -- and then relates astrology to the religion, philosophy, and science of each period. The unique historical manuscripts and works of art that illustrate the text, many drawn from the superb collections of the British Library, show how Western astrology evolved among different cultures and reconciled itself with many different belief systems.This lucid, thoughtful, and stimulating work -- the first serious, comprehensive history of astrology -- gracefully illuminates a significant chapter in the history of ideas.