Zodiac Signs. We all have one. Some believe in a deeper meaning and power behind it, while others just accept it as a coincidence corresponding to the time you were born at. Either way, there is a lot of history behind the origin of each one and how the zodiac signs came to be. If you are interested in the tale behind your sign then keep reading because there are a lot of Greek Mythology stories coming up!
The way that modern astrology is built, was highly influenced by ancient Greece and ancient Babylon. The Astrology we know today is probably about 1800 years old. But more than 4000 years ago, the population already used star constellations as a way to predict seasons or climatic events.
The word ‘zodiac’ describes a band of the sky, containing the sun, the moon and the planets as seen from earth. The orbit around the sun was divided into twelve 30-degree sectors. The stars visible in this period form a constellation which then again forms the 12 cosmic phases. It is said that the sun is ‘in’ a constellation when it is in the part of the zodiac that includes a certain constellation. This means that the constellation that the sun was in while you were born, decides your zodiac sign. Many people believe that it can influence your personality and predict your future.
Every Sign of the Zodiac represents a Greek God, Goddess or a different figure from Mythology. The Names of the signs come from the 12 Olympian gods of Greek Mythology.
Aries or the Ram is the first astrological sign and it includes people born between March 21st and April 21st. The fire sign symbolizes rebirth or new beginnings and originates from an ancient Greek myth. Phrixus and Helle were sacrificed in order to stop the drought but were later rescued by a ram with golden wool.
Taurus or the bull is an earth sign and included people born from April 20th to May 20th. The sign of Taurus is based on the Greek myth of Europa. She was enchanted by Zeus who took on the form of a white bull.
Gemini or the twins is an air sign and goes from May 21st till June 20th. It symbolizes duality and inner unfolding and has its origins in the Babylonian era. The stars Pollux and Castar were called the “Great Twins in the sky”.
Cancer or the crab is a water sign and its dates take place from June 21st till July 21st. In Greek Mythology, Zeus’ wife, Hera, sent a crab to fight Hercules (Zeus’ son, created in an affair). She cast a spell on him which led to him killing his children. Hera sent the crab to defeat him but he simply killed it with his foot.
Leo, the lion, is the zodiac sign of people born between July 22nd and August 22nd. The fire sign is supposed to represent the force of life. Connecting to the story behind the sign of cancer, when Hercules got 12 tasks as punishment for killing his children, the first one was to kill the mythical lion Nemea.
Each year, the sun moves through the phase of Virgo, the maiden, between August 2 3rd and September 22nd. The earth sign is the only zodiac sign represented by a woman. The maiden is considered to be Astraea, a virgin representative of justice, innocence, purity and precision. She is believed to return to earth one day.
The Libra or the scales, an air sign, applies to all people born between September 23rd and October 22nd. The scale is supposed to represent the scales of justice held by Themis, the Greek Goddess of Law and Justice.
The dates for Scorpio the Scorpion typically run from October 23rd to November 21st. The water sign symbolizes destruction and is also based on Greek mythology. The hunter Orion planned on killing all the animals on the planet but was bitten and killed by a scorpion beforehand. Orion and the scorpion were sent to the heavens but placed on opposite ends. When the constellation Scorpio rises over the horizon, Orion hides behind it, fleeing from the cause of his death.
The zodiac sign of Sagittarius, the Archer, includes everyone born from November 22nd till December 20th. The fire sign is associated with the centaur Chiron who was a great educator to many Greek heroes like Achilles and Aristeo and was very intelligent and good-natured.
The Capricorn, represented by the goat, is an earth sign and dates from December 22nd to January 21st. The earth sign symbolizes wisdom and is based on Amalthea who is known for taking on the form of a goat and for raising Zeus.
Aquarius, with the symbol of the water bearer, includes the calendar dates from January 22nd to February 20th. The air sign is based on Ganymede, who was considered to be the “most beautiful” mortal man by both humans and gods. Zeus kidnapped him and forced him to be a water carrier on Mount Olympus.
Pisces, or the fish, is the water sign including the dates from February 20th until March 20th. The sign represents Aphrodite and Eros in the form of fish because many gods tried to flee the terror of Typhoon by taking on animal forms.
Zodiac signs don’t have to be something you have to strongly believe in, they can also just be a fun way to look at our world and our connection to the universe. I hope you learned something new from this article and thought it was interesting!
Sources:
https://greekreporter.com/2022/04/09/greek-origin-zodiac-signs-astrology/
https://replogleglobes.com/blog/the-origin-of-zodiac-signs-symbols/
https://www.dictionary.com/e/horoscope-meaning/