I though ptolemy was only an astrologer in the scholary/theoritical sense rather then in the practicing/applied sense at least this is what I heard. Also, often a person's ubringing is reflected in the chart, as above so below as below so above.
Every astrologer does look into someone's upbringing when he/she is looking into someone's chart in depth ESP when he/she is dealing with rectification. let's say this, two ppl born on the same day month year time and the city, they will end up having 2 diff fates because too many issues involved like mother, father, grandparents, uncles aunts, whatever. The biggest 2 astroresearches were done on the Tudors and current royal english families. I think there is a book on it as a matter of fact, princess Diana is a related to Mary Boleyn. mary boleyn had a son supposevely out of a wedlock from Henry the 8th, who had a daughter Elizabeth the virgin queen, with Anne Boleyn. If you start comparing charts of all Tudor related royals, you would see that the family patterns are repeating. *NONE of tudor related family members had an easy fate".
The recorded date births of the Tudor family only started with Henry 7th of England, father of Henry the 8th. Henry the 8th had 6 other siblings : I am sure their birth times are recorded and stored in England's library or something. Even if you look at Mary, daughter of Cathrine of Aragon and compare it to Elizabeth The virgin queen, Edward VI son of Jane Seymour (another wife of henry 8th) you would see how the family dynamics worked esp invovling their father.
In modern days, in some cases, one twin is loved more than the other. Will it show in a chart when the time of birth is SOOO Close? Probably not without looking with a microscope. Ptolemy may not have been a person who looked into a future but that doesnt make him non-astrologer. There is another twist to this, in England there was an interesting case, twins married each other. Boy and girl - twins, were separated at birth and adopted by 2 diff families, somehow they met, fell in love and got married. Some people specialize in natal, some ppl are into transits, some ppl are into horary, others are into synastry. Some astrologers are just into a theory. According to wiki the definition of an astrologer states "In the far past, the role often entailed
astronomical observation or manual calculation of celestial phenomena"
Also keep in mind that astrology and astronomy were one of the same.
Ptolemy worked out astrological aspects, which are known as Ptolemaic aspects. Stating from wiki "The traditional major aspects are sometimes called Ptolemaic aspects since they were defined and used by Ptolemy in the 1st Century, AD. These aspects are the conjunction (approx. 0-10°), sextile (60°), square (90°), trine (120°), and opposition (180°). "
What he might have done is work out the mathematical aspects and put it into a practice just to workout the mechanics but not directly bother with people who would nag him with "read my chart!" drama.
Ptolemy's astrology was to use astronomy to predict astrology *roughly explained*
In Tetrabiblos, he defined astrology and astronomy to be 2 diff entities and to be incomparable. Nothing new here!
Astronomy - physical .. astrology - more psychological mixed with astronomical bodies in the cosmos.
His 2nd book that is known to be written by Ptolemy was Almagest.
For ppl who claim that HE IS NOT as practicing astrologer, that is nothing short of ridiculous. How can someone write about a specific subject without understandng what he/she is writing about? He probably analyzed many charts and wrote 2 astrology related books not mentioning his Geography book. Otherwise, why write statements mentioning upbringing and etc.
Just because he didnt write astro cook book. he is not an astrologer? Did he need to? Not really. He clearly understood that when a planet X is in certain house or sign, many people would have however it will not have the same effect on everyone. Were there other books written by him? PROBABLY yes, lost in time perhaps?
L8er
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