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A FRAGMENTARY ROMAN ZODIAC AND HOROSCOPE
FROM CAESAREA MARITIMA
A. Ovadiah - S. Mucznik
In Memory of Raphael Giveon
A wooden object which was discovered about ten years ago in the area of
Caesarea Maritima,1 bears elements of a Zodiac with Sol Invictus in the centre on one side (figs. 1,3), while the other side features various linear signs
and elements, which are all probably related to a horoscope (figs. 2,4).2
The two parts shown in the photographs indicate that these constitute one
object. The depiction of the Zodiac and its surviving elements are presented
within two concentric circles. Above the Sol Invictus a complete schematic
animal appears within a cuneiform frame. It is possible to discern a cylindrical body, with a small schematic horned head with an adjacent mane, a short
tail, and four legs in a running pose. This animal clearly approximates a depiction of the Ram (Aries or Kri÷oß) in the Zodiac wheel.3 The nearby frame
on the right side containing another sign is so deteriorated, as to be impossible to decipher. The two other remaining signs are set below the central Sol
Invictus and represent the Virgin (Virgo or Pa¿rqenoß) on the left4 and the
Scorpion (Scorpio or Sko/rpioß) on the right.5 The poisonous curved tail of
the Scorpion is clearly shown together with the multiple legs on either side of
its body and the two pincers. What remains of the Virgin are only the two feet
1. The photographs of the object under discussion were given to us by the late Prof. Raphael
Giveon of the Department of Archaeology and Civilizations of the Ancient Near East, Tel Aviv
University. The object is in a private anonymous collection. The measurements of the object
(both sides) are as follows: Length - 5.4 cms; Width - 1 cm.
2. For horoscopes, see Vitruvius: IX.iii (232-235), IX.v (240-245), IX.viii.12-15 (264-267);
Manilius; Ptolemy: I.12, II.5, III.2, III.4-11, IV.10 (68-71, 162-165, 190-191 [nn. 1-2], 205210, 228-235, 241-317, 442-455); Fankhauser, 1939; Neugebauer, 1943: 115-126; for fragments of texts referring to some ancient horoscopes, see Pintaudi - Neugebauer, 1982:
258-260; Pintaudi - Neugebauer, 1983: 103; Neugebauer - Sijpesteijn, 1980: 163-164; BouchéLeclercq, 1979: 256-310, 372-456; DAGR II, 1963: 303-305; V, 1919: 1053-1054; see also
DAGR III.1, 1963: s.v. “horologium”, 256-264; s.v. “divinatio”, 302ff.; on astronomy and astrology, see Vitruvius: IX.VI (244-247); DAGR I.1, 1962: s.v. “astronomia”, 476-504; RE II.2,
1896: s.v. “astrologie”, cols. 1802-1828; s.v. “astronomie”, cols. 1828-1860; Barton, 1994. See
also, Stageiritis II, 1816: 273-286; Cumont, 1912: 43-44, 49, 62, 71-72, 81-89.
3. Bouché-Leclercq, 1979: 130-132 (fig. 3); EAA VII, 1966: 1275 (fig. 1408) 1276 (fig. 1409).
4. Bouché-Leclercq, 1979: 139-140 (fig. 8); EAA VII, 1966: 1275 (fig. 1408), 1276 (fig. 1409).
5. Bouché-Leclercq, 1979: 142-143 (fig. 10); EAA VII, 1966: 1275 (fig. 1408), 1276 (fig.
1409).
LA 46 (1996) 375-380; Pls. 31-32
376
A. OVADIAH - S. MUCZNIK
and the long garment covering her legs and body, as well as her right arm
which is probably holding a jug for pouring. The figure seems to be depicted
frontally. Though these two signs are represented in a very flat, stylized and
schematic mode, their outlines are quite clear and can be identified; they appear within similar cuneiform frames as that of the Ram above.
The figure of Sol Invictus which appears within an oval frame in the centre of the fragmentary Zodiac, is depicted in a free stance; his pose is heroic
and commands awe and admiration. His body is turned towards the left in a
contrapposto pose; his right hand is raised and his left hand is probably lowered. His head is depicted in profile, with some kind of cap surmounted by
the rays of the sun. He wears a short tunic with schematic folds and has a stylized stole with floating fringed edges over his upper body. This figure too is
as schematic, flat and stylized as the above-mentioned signs of the Zodiac.
Four stars appear symmetrically on either side of his legs.
According to the fragmentary remains, it is possible to reconstruct the
entire Zodiac. The signs are arranged clockwise as follows: Ram (Aries Kri÷oß),6 Fishes (Pisces - ∆Icqu/eß),7 Water-carrier (Aquarius - ÔUdroco/oß),8
Capricorn (Capricornus - Ai˙go/kerwß),9 Archer (Sagittarius - Toxo/thß),10
Balance (Libra - Zugo/ß),11 Scorpion (Scorpio - Sko/rpioß),12 Virgin (Virgo Pa¿rqenoß),13 Lion (Leo - Le÷wn),14 Crab (Cancer - Karki÷noß),15 Twins
(Gemini - Di÷dumoi),16 Bull (Taurus - Tauvroß).17 It is generally accepted to
begin the year with the spring equinox, and the Ram, which is considered as
the first of the twelve signs of the Zodiac.18 Thus in our case the Zodiac starts
with the sign of the Ram, which indicates springtime. It is most probable that
6. Bouché-Leclercq, 1979: 130-132 (fig. 3).
7. Bouché-Leclercq, 1979: 147-149 (fig. 14).
8. Bouché-Leclercq, 1979: 146-147 (fig. 13).
9. Bouché-Leclercq, 1979: 144-146 (fig. 12).
10. Bouché-Leclercq, 1979: 143-144 (fig. 11).
11. Bouché-Leclercq, 1979: 141-142 (fig. 9).
12. Bouché-Leclercq, 1979: 142-143 (fig. 10).
13. Bouché-Leclercq, 1979: 139-140 (fig. 8).
14. Bouché-Leclercq, 1979: 138-139 (fig. 7).
15. Bouché-Leclercq, 1979: 136-138 (fig. 6).
16. Bouché-Leclercq, 1979: 135-136 (fig. 5).
17. Bouché-Leclercq, 1979: 132-134 (fig. 4).
18. For the Zodiac, see Vitruvius IX.I. 5 (214-217); DAGR V, 1919: s.v. “Zodiacus”, 10461062; RE XIX.2, 1972: s.v. “Zodiakos”, cols. 462-709; EAA VII, 1966: s.v. “Zodiaco”, 12741286; Van der Waerden, 1952-1953: 216-230.
A FRAGMENTARY ROMAN ZODIAC
377
this was a personal Zodiac together with the horoscope which is depicted on
the other side. Personal horoscopes existed in antiquity and even Roman
emperors owned them for private use and apotropaic purposes.19 The object
under discussion could also have been an apotropaic object or an amulet, intended to protect the owner from danger or the evil eye.
It seems possible to assume that it may have belonged to a seaman, based
on the location of the finding (Caesarea Maritima). Other anonymous horoscope texts for private purposes, to accompany sea voyages, dated to the fifth
century C.E. (1 October 474; 16 July 475; 14 July 479) have been found, and
thus existed in antiquity.20 According to the chorography of Claudius Ptolemy
of Alexandria, the geographer and astronomer of the second century, as interpreted by Bouché-Leclercq, Idumaea, Coele-Syria and Judaea are situated
within a triangle in the SE of the central region, influenced by the triangle NW
and . The sign of
and their signs are those of the Ram and the Archer:
) corresponds to various terrestrial regions, such as Britannia,
the Ram (
Gallia, Germania, Bastarnia, Coele-Syria, Palaestina, Idumaea, and Judaea.21
The signs which appear on the other side of the wooden object, although
scattered all over its surface, seem to follow a certain order.22 Along the peripheral line some linear signs are depicted while geometric forms and a basket-like shape are depicted in the inner part. Some of the linear signs can be
deciphered despite their state of partial preservation. Beginning at the top
left and following a clockwise direction: two vertical signs appear which
seem to be the sign of the Twins or of the Fishes. Nearby, a V- shaped sign
undoubtedly represents the Bull. The identification of these two signs is almost certain because their form, though schematic, is similar to equivalent
signs in other ancient horoscopes, in which they also appear in the same
proximity.23
19. Literary sources provide evidence for such horoscopes owned by Augustus (Suetonius II:
XCIV.12 [272-273]) and Vespasian (Suetonius I: XXV [320-321]). For other Roman emperors, see Barton, 1994: 44-49. Two documents of the Dead Sea Scrolls from cave 4, one in
Hebrew, the other in Aramaic, both dating probably to the end of the first century B.C.E., contain fragments of ‘horoscopes’, or more precisely, astrological physiognomies claiming a correspondence between a person’s features and destiny and the configuration of the stars at the
time of his birth; see Vermes, 1990: 305-307.
20. Dagron - Rougé, 1982: 117.
21. Bouché-Leclercq, 1979: 343-344.
22. In a manuscript of Vienna, the signs of the horoscope are scattered within geometrical
forms, together with the Greek words: wrosko/poß (horoscopos), mesoura¿nhma (mesuranima)
and klhvroß tu/chß (kliros tyches); see DAGR V, 1919: 1054-1055 (fig. 7594).
23. See DAGR V, 1919: 1052-1053 (figs. 7591, 7593); EAA VII, 1966: 1275-1276 (figs. 14081409); Bouché-Leclercq, 1979: 219 (fig. 27), 228 (fig. 28).
378
A. OVADIAH - S. MUCZNIK
The third sign (M) possibly indicates Scorpion, although in other horoscopes it is not placed near the Twins and the Bull.24 On the other hand, this
sign may represent Mars ( )25 or Mercury ( )26 as a planet. The fourth sign,
only partly preserved ( ) may be completed downwards with two loops. If
this is correct then this sign would represent the Crab, which is usually placed
in the vicinity of the sign of the Twins. In continuation of this peripheral line,
the other signs have been destroyed and only in the lower right section of the
fragment is it possible to observe the arrow which represents the Archer. A star
appears in the contiguity of the arrow on the lower left, possibly indicating the
celestial order. We can assume that other stars were scattered over the surface
of this fragment. Stars with celestial significance connected with the horoscope appear on a relief with the figure of a lion, representing the first century
B.C.E. horoscope of Antioch I Epiphanes, the ruler of the Commagene dynasty, and which is presently in situ in Western Nimrud Dag^ h in Eastern Turkey. On this relief the planets Jupiter, Mars and Mercury are united in the
house of Lion, forecasting the brilliant destiny of the royal child. 27 According
to another theory, the relief of the lion bears astronomical symbols: the nineteen stars seen in the background of the relief and on the body of the lion, the
crescent moon on its breast and the conjunction of three planets corresponding to the Greek words for Jupiter, Mercury and Mars can be interpreted as the
date of the 7th of July 62 or 61 B.C.E. This happens to be the date when
Antioch I Epiphanes was set on the throne by the Romans.28 In another example a lion and stars are depicted on a magical gem of the late Empire;
around the stars several letters appear, similar to those on our object.29
On the lower part of the horoscope surface, an octagonal form is discernible with its inner space divided into eight triangles by four long lines. The
ends of two of the long lines are obliterated, while the two remaining lines
24. See above, nn. 15-17.
25. Bouché-Leclercq, 1979: 98-99, 422-425.
26. Bouché-Leclercq, 1979: 100-101.
27. DAGR V, 1919: 1047-1048 (fig. 7587); Hamdy Bey - Efendi, 1883: Ill. 24; Bouché-
Leclercq, 1979: 480 (fig. 40). For the significance of the celestial and royal lion, who bears a
star on its heart, which is called basilisko/ß (Regulus), see Bouché-Leclercq, 1979: 139 and
nn. 2-3, 373 and n. 1, 438-439 (fig. 41).
28. Akurgal, 1978: 351; Dörner, 1987: 237-240.
29. Friedman, 1970: 70-71 (fig. 14); in a Zodiac on a low relief from Argos, seven stars are
scattered around the image of Selene which represent the seven planets, accompanied by a
magic inscription of seven barbarian names: see DAGR V, 1919: 1051 (fig. 7590). A second
century C.E. (11.9.195) jasper medallion showing the personal horoscope of a baby, presents
the busts of Helios and three planets and the signs of the Zodiac, see LIMC VI: s.v. “Mercurius”, no. 353.
A FRAGMENTARY ROMAN ZODIAC
379
end, one in a fork-like shape and a square form, and the other in a ray-like
shape. We can assume that, like the square form still existent, the missing end
of the lines terminated in the same shape. Undoubtedly this octagonal form
represents a wind-rose and the eight radial lines indicate the eight winds. In
principle, this shape is reminiscent of the octagonal Tower of the Winds in
Athens, also known as the Horologium of Andronikos Cyrrhestes (mid-first
century B.C.E.).30 However, it would appear that the eight triangles cannot be
the “houses” (oi•koi)31 of the planets, which number twelve in the horoscope.32
The basket-like form depicted above the wind-rose is a tall element with
a wide trapezoid base and a rectangular body on which appear some fragmentary vertical lines. These appear to be flames on an altar, perhaps an eternal
fire to the gods, indicating a ritual burning of incense. This may symbolize an
offering to the gods or possibly to a personal god, asking for protection and
help for the owner of the object.
It should be noted that the presentation of the signs both in the Zodiac and
the horoscope, carved on the object under discussion, diverges from the canonical order of the signs. This may derive from the fact that both the Zodiac
and the horoscope are personal ones. The location of the Balance (Libra Zugo/ß), usually placed between the Virgin (Virgo - Pa¿rqenoß) and the Crab
(Cancer - Karki÷noß), differs in this case from the usual Zodiacs.33
Based on the tunicatus Sol Invictus in the Zodiac and the burning altar, it
is possible to suggest that the object may be dated to the Roman period.
Asher Ovadiah - Sonia Mucznik
Tel Aviv University
30. DAGR III.1, 1963: 259-260 (fig. 3887); Havelock, 1971: 79 (figs. 56-57); Lawrence, 1987:
310-314 (figs. 306-309); see also Dinsmoor, 1975: 289.
31. Bouché-Leclercq, 1979: 182-192 (‘Domiciles des planètes’).
32. Among the forms of the signs of the horoscope (sch/mata, schmatismoi÷, suschmatismoi÷
– configurationes; o¡yeiß – adspectus) which are associated with ancient astrology (BouchéLeclercq, 1979: 165-179), two are appropriate to our horoscope: the diametral (Manilius: Introduction XLIV-XLV; 2.395-432; Bouché-Leclercq, 1979: 166-169 [fig. 18]) and the recapitulations of the aspects (forms) (Bouché-Leclercq, 1979: 173 [fig. 22]).
33. A similar phenomenon may be observed in the Zodiac of the ancient Synagogue of BethAlpha, where a discrepancy appears between the signs and the seasons.
380
A. OVADIAH - S. MUCZNIK
Abbreviations and Bibliography
Akurgal, 1978: E. Akurgal, Ancient Civilizations and Ruins of Turkey, Istanbul.
Barton, 1994: T. Barton, Ancient Astrology, London - New York.
Bouché-Leclercq 1979: A. Bouché-Leclercq, L’astrologie grecque, Paris.
Cumont 1912: F. Cumont, Astrology and Religion Among the Greeks and Romans, New York
(repr. 1960).
DAGR I.1, 1962:
DAGR II, 1963: Ch. Daremberg - E. Saglio, Dictionnaire des antiquités grecques et romaines,
Graz.
DAGR III.1, 1963:
DAGR V, 1912:
Dagron - Rougé, 1982: G. Dagron - J. Rougé, “Trois Horoscopes de Voyages en Mer (5e siècle
après J.-C.)”, Revue des Études Byzantines 40, 117-133.
Dinsmoor, 1975: W. Dinsmoor, The Architecture of Ancient Greece, London.
Dörner, 1987: F.K. Dörner, Der Thron der Götter auf dem Nemrud Da√, Gütersloh.
EAA VII,1966: Enciclopedia dell’Arte Antica, Classica e Orientale, Roma.
Fankhauser, 1939: A. Fankhauser, Horoskopie, Zürich - Leipzig.
Friedman, 1970: J.B. Friedman, Orpheus in the Middle Ages, Cambridge (Mass.).
Hamdy Bey - Efendi, 1883: O. Hamdy Bey - O. Efendi, Le tumulus de Nemroud-Dag^ h,
Istanbul (repr.1987).
Havelock, 1971: Christine M. Havelock, Hellenistic Art, London.
Lawrence, 1987: A.W. Lawrence, Greek Architecture, Harmondsworth (Middlesex).
Manilius: Manilius, Astronomica (trans. G.P. Goold, The Loeb Classical Library, London Cambridge [Mass.] 1977).
Neugebauer, 1943: O. Neugebauer, “Demotic Horoscopes”, Journal of American Oriental
Society 63, 115-125.
Neugebauer - Sijpesteijn, 1980: O. Neugebauer - P.J. Sijpesteijn, “Fragment of an Astronomical Text”, Zeitschrift für Papyrologie und Epigraphik 39, 163-164.
Pintaudi - Neugebauer, 1982: R. Pintaudi - O. Neugebauer, “Oroscopo”, Zeitschrift für
Papyrologie und Epigraphik 46, 258-260.
Pintaudi - Neugebauer, 1983: R. Pintaudi - O. Neugebauer, “Oroscopo”, Zeitschrift für
Papyrologie und Epigraphik 50, 108.
Ptolemy: Ptolemy, Tetrabiblos (trans. F.E. Robbins, The Loeb Classical Library, London Cambridge [Mass.] 1980).
RE II.2, 1896: A. Pauly - G. Wissowa - W. Kroll et alii (eds.), Real-encyclopädie der Classischen Altertumswissenschaft, Stuttgart.
Stageiritis, 1816: A. Stageiritis, ∆Wgugi÷a h¡ ∆Arcaiologi÷a (Ogygia or Archaeology), Vienna
(repr. Athens 1994).
Suetonius: Suetonius, De Vita Caesarum (trans. J.C. Rolfe, The Loeb Classical Library, I-II,
London - Cambridge [Mass.] 1970).
Van der Waerden, 1952-1953: B.L. Van der Waerden, “History of the Zodiac”, Archiv für
Orientforschung 16, 216-230.
Vitruvius: Vitruvius, De Architectura (trans. F. Granger, The Loeb Classical Library, II, London - Cambridge [Mass.] 1962).