Vettius Valens
Encyclopedia
Vettius Valens was a 2nd-century Hellenistic astrologer
, a somewhat younger contemporary of Claudius Ptolemy
.
Valens' major work is the Anthology, ten volumes in Greek
written roughly within the period 150 to 175. The Anthology is the longest and most detailed treatise on astrology
which has survived from that period. A working professional astrologer, Valens includes over a hundred sample charts from his case files in the Anthology.
Although originally a native of Antioch
, he appears to have traveled widely in Egypt in search of specific astrological doctrines to bolster his practice. At the time Alexandria was still home to a number of astrologers of the older Babylonian
, Greek
and Egyptian traditions
. He published much of what he learned from the tradition and through his practice in his Anthology, written in an engaging and instructional style. The Anthology is thus of great value in piecing together actual working techniques of the time.
Valens' work is also important because he cites the views of a number of earlier authors and authorities who would otherwise be unknown. The fragments from works attributed to the alleged pharaoh
Nechepso and the high priest Petosiris
, pseudopigraphal authors of the 2nd century BC, survive mainly through direct quotations in Valens' work.
The three manuscript
s of the Anthology all date from 1300 or later. The text
, however, appears to be fairly reliable and complete, although disorganized in places.
Although Ptolemy
, the astronomer, mathematician, astrologer of ancient Alexandria
and author of Tetrabiblos
(the most influential astrological text ever written), was generally regarded as the colossus of Hellenistic-period astrology in the many centuries following his death, it is most likely that the actual practical astrology of the period resembled the methods elaborated in Valens' Anthology. Modern scholars tend to counterpoise the two men, since both were roughly contemporary and lived in Alexandria; yet Valens' work elaborated the more practical techniques that arose from ancient tradition, while Ptolemy, very much the scientist, tended to focus more on creating a theoretically consistent model based on his Aristotelian causal framework. The balance given by Valens' Anthology is therefore very instructive. No other Hellenistic author has contributed as much to our understanding of the everyday, practical astrological methods of the early Roman
/late Hellenistic era.
Deciding that the traditional religion
was useless, he found in fate
a substitute religion. For him absolute determination gave emotional satisfaction and aroused an almost mystical feeling. Knowing that everything was already predetermined gave one a sense of freedom from anxiety and a sense of salvation.
Hellenistic astrology
Hellenistic astrology is a tradition of horoscopic astrology that was developed and practiced in Hellenistic Egypt and the Mediterranean, whose texts were written in Greek , mainly around the late 2nd or early 1st century B.C.E...
, a somewhat younger contemporary of Claudius Ptolemy
Ptolemy
Claudius Ptolemy , was a Roman citizen of Egypt who wrote in Greek. He was a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer, and poet of a single epigram in the Greek Anthology. He lived in Egypt under Roman rule, and is believed to have been born in the town of Ptolemais Hermiou in the...
.
Valens' major work is the Anthology, ten volumes in Greek
Koine Greek
Koine Greek is the universal dialect of the Greek language spoken throughout post-Classical antiquity , developing from the Attic dialect, with admixture of elements especially from Ionic....
written roughly within the period 150 to 175. The Anthology is the longest and most detailed treatise on astrology
Astrology
Astrology consists of a number of belief systems which hold that there is a relationship between astronomical phenomena and events in the human world...
which has survived from that period. A working professional astrologer, Valens includes over a hundred sample charts from his case files in the Anthology.
Although originally a native of Antioch
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
, he appears to have traveled widely in Egypt in search of specific astrological doctrines to bolster his practice. At the time Alexandria was still home to a number of astrologers of the older Babylonian
Babylonian astrology
In Babylon as well as in Assyria as a direct offshoot of Babylonian culture, astrology takes its place in theofficial cult as one of the two chief means at the disposal of the priests for ascertaining the will and intention of the gods, the other being through the inspection of the liver of the...
, Greek
Hellenistic astrology
Hellenistic astrology is a tradition of horoscopic astrology that was developed and practiced in Hellenistic Egypt and the Mediterranean, whose texts were written in Greek , mainly around the late 2nd or early 1st century B.C.E...
and Egyptian traditions
Egyptian astrology
Egyptian astrology may refer to:* Ancient Egyptian astronomy* Astrology in Hellenistic Egypt...
. He published much of what he learned from the tradition and through his practice in his Anthology, written in an engaging and instructional style. The Anthology is thus of great value in piecing together actual working techniques of the time.
Valens' work is also important because he cites the views of a number of earlier authors and authorities who would otherwise be unknown. The fragments from works attributed to the alleged pharaoh
Pharaoh
Pharaoh is a title used in many modern discussions of the ancient Egyptian rulers of all periods. The title originates in the term "pr-aa" which means "great house" and describes the royal palace...
Nechepso and the high priest Petosiris
Petosiris
Petosiris, called Ankhefenkhons, was the high priest of Thoth at Hermopolis and held various priestly degrees in the service of Sakhmet, Khnum, Amen-Re and Hathor. The son of Sishu and Nefer-renpet, he lived in the second half of the 4th century BCE under Persian rule...
, pseudopigraphal authors of the 2nd century BC, survive mainly through direct quotations in Valens' work.
The three manuscript
Manuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
s of the Anthology all date from 1300 or later. The text
Textual criticism
Textual criticism is a branch of literary criticism that is concerned with the identification and removal of transcription errors in the texts of manuscripts...
, however, appears to be fairly reliable and complete, although disorganized in places.
Although Ptolemy
Ptolemy
Claudius Ptolemy , was a Roman citizen of Egypt who wrote in Greek. He was a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer, and poet of a single epigram in the Greek Anthology. He lived in Egypt under Roman rule, and is believed to have been born in the town of Ptolemais Hermiou in the...
, the astronomer, mathematician, astrologer of ancient Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
and author of Tetrabiblos
Tetrabiblos
The Tetrabiblos , also known under the Latin title Quadripartitum , is a text on the philosophy and practice of astrology, written in the second century AD by the Alexandrian scholar Claudius Ptolemy ....
(the most influential astrological text ever written), was generally regarded as the colossus of Hellenistic-period astrology in the many centuries following his death, it is most likely that the actual practical astrology of the period resembled the methods elaborated in Valens' Anthology. Modern scholars tend to counterpoise the two men, since both were roughly contemporary and lived in Alexandria; yet Valens' work elaborated the more practical techniques that arose from ancient tradition, while Ptolemy, very much the scientist, tended to focus more on creating a theoretically consistent model based on his Aristotelian causal framework. The balance given by Valens' Anthology is therefore very instructive. No other Hellenistic author has contributed as much to our understanding of the everyday, practical astrological methods of the early Roman
Culture of ancient Rome
Ancient Roman culture existed throughout the almost 1200-year history of the civilization of Ancient Rome. The term refers to the culture of the Roman Republic, later the Roman Empire, which, at its peak, covered an area from Lowland Scotland and Morocco to the Euphrates.Life in ancient Rome...
/late Hellenistic era.
Deciding that the traditional religion
Hellenistic religion
Hellenistic religion is any of the various systems of beliefs and practices of the people who lived under the influence of ancient Greek culture during the Hellenistic period and the Roman Empire . There was much continuity in Hellenistic religion: the Greek gods continued to be worshiped, and the...
was useless, he found in fate
Time and fate deities
Time and fate deities are personifications of time, often in the sense of human lifetime and human fate, in polytheistic religions.In monotheism, Time can still be personified, as in Father Time in European folklore, or Zurvan in Persian tradition.In the book of Ecclesiastes in the Hebrew Bible,...
a substitute religion. For him absolute determination gave emotional satisfaction and aroused an almost mystical feeling. Knowing that everything was already predetermined gave one a sense of freedom from anxiety and a sense of salvation.
External links
- Mark Riley's draft translation of the Anthology. See also Mark Riley's site for explanation of abbreviations etc.
- Professor Mark Riley's A Survey of Vettius Valens
- Section on Valens in Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy article
- Project Hindsight – on Vettius Valens and contemporaries
- Vettius Valens Translation Project