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Roots of Stoicism 515-445 Parmenides material monism ca. 420 BCE Demokritos corpuscular-atomic theory 384-322 BCE Aristotle astronomy, logic, physics, meteorology, biology, psychology... 341-270 BCE Epicurus Epicureanism ca. 300 BCE Zeno Stoicism 99-55 BCE Lucretius Epicureanism (De Rerum Natura) 4 BCE – 65 CE Seneca 121-180 CE M. Aurelius

Material Monism • Everything that exists is composed of a single substance, a material substrate. • The substrate is both the material and also the temporal source of existing things. • The substrate is in itself ungenerated, eternal, and self-consistent. • Observable differences among existing things are results of variations of that substrate. • Existing things are phenomenal and ephemeral, in the sense that they are (a) perceptible and (b) undergo coming-into-being and passing-away.

Stoicism : Zeno of Kitium (ca. 300 BCE) Physics / Theology • Universe essentially one "stuff"—material, animate, rational, divine. • Differences attributable to different degrees of “tension” (tonos) or frequency. • Logos (Rationality) = God = Fate = Reason = Fire. • Universe periodically destroyed by fire (ekpyrosis), followed by emergence of new, identical universe. • Hard determinism.

Stoic Tenets Ethics • Free will = to will the necessary. Unhappiness = refusal to conform to inevitable. • Virtus = only good, only evil = failure to achieve it; all else indifferent. • Pain and death not evil; pleasure not a good; life itself not inherently good. • Happiness = freedom from disturbance (apathia) from outward events and inward passions. • Commitment to rationality  pursuit of the common good, selfless commitment to family, city, nation, and race.

• Epicurean happiness (ataraxia [lit • Epicurean happiness (ataraxia [lit. “not being shaken”]) = “freedom from disturbance” • Stoic happiness (apathia [lit. “not feeling”]) = “freedom from disturbance”

• Epicurean endorsement of fortuna (“chance”)  rejection of determinism and astral influence. • Stoic endorsement of fortuna (“destiny”)  acceptance of ultimate determinism of universe, including astral influence.

Astrology PRO • Stoic monism • sympathia • divination • seasons, tidal flow • influence on elements • humoral affects CONTRA • Epicurean atomism • distance too great • skewed perspectives • different personal outcomes • lack of uniform influence • logical contradictions • moral (ir)responsibility

Ptolemy (85-161 CE) • Mathêmatikê Syntaxis (= Almagest) • Tetrabiblos

ASTROLOGY ROMAN REPUBLIC

155 Embassy of Greek philosophers (Aristotelian, Stoic, Skeptic) to Rome 121 Riots between populist and conservative factions 107-100 Militia restructured as standing army 87-85 Riots between supporters of generals Marius (populist) and Sulla (conservative) 82-78 Dictatorship of Sulla 77-71 Rise to power of Pompey (conservative) 60 Alliance (First Triumvirate) of Pompey, J. Caesar (populist) and Crassus ($) 49-47 Tensions between Pompey and J. Caesar  civil war; J. Caesar victorious 44 Assassination of Caesar by republican faction headed by M. Brutus 42 Deification (katasterism) of J. Caesar by Octavian 43 Alliance (Second Triumvirate) of M. Antony (populist), Octavian (conserva-tive) and Lepidus ($) 40-32 Empire divided between Antony (East) and Octavian (West) 30 Antony defeated by Octavian at Battle of Actium 27 Octavian receives title of Augustus and lifetime absolute power (imperium) 27-14 CE Rule of Emperor Augustus

Stoicism and Roman Values • collective vs. individual good • emphasis on duty (officium) over desire (amor) • endorsement of divination

Astrology in Rome • astronomical/astrological hierarchies and political hierarchies • imperial endorsement  widespread popularity • personal astrologers for prominent/wealthy individuals • political danger of astrological forecasts • later bans on casting imperial horoscopes