THE GREAT PERSIAN CONTRIBUTION TO ASTROLOGICAL MEDICINE

May 2025

copyright © 2025 by Judith Hill

Some time ago, one of our esteemed Persian students contacted me regarding a citation problem of deep, personal concern for her. She was understandably irked by the fact that historians and writers, including myself, have unknowingly obfuscated the Persian contribution to medical astrology, and other fields as well, under the rubric of the language they wrote in: “Arabic”.

Researching her concern, I soon discovered that her observation was all too true! Most historical texts do indeed cite these significant Persian contributors, and their writings, under an inaccurate ethnic or cultural heading. This oversight was nowhere more glaring than in historical citations to be found within our own very specific field of Astrological Medicine!

It is factual that a majority (but certainly not all) of seminal texts penned during Medieval times within our exclusive and specific field of medical astrology, were authored by ethnic Persian and Jewish writers in the Arabic language, under Arabic names, in Arab lands. There were of course influential ethnic Arab authors too - the renowned Haly Abenragel and Al-Kindi being most often cited. However, our focus today must necessarily remain focused on the medieval Persian contributors to our craft. As a group, it’s high time to bring them into the light of day.

A compiled list of texts distinct to medical astrology readily demonstrates a dominance of Persian and Jewish authors, author-physicians, and translators. And, they were not merely translating ancient Greek texts, they were creating and conflating new texts as well!  This last fact is often neglected.

We must give due honor to the great Arab and Islamic Empires of the Medieval period that built and encouraged the remarkable centers of universal learning at Baghdad, Cordoba, Cairo, Timbuktu and other cities within the expanded Islamic Empire. These centers enabled Persians, Muslims, Arabs, Christians, Jews, Sikhs, Zoroastrians, et al, to devote their mutual forces towards study, scientific and philosophic inquiry and discovery.

I have already written a useful article on the contribution medieval Jewish authors in the field of medical astrology. https://www.judithhillastrology.com/jewish-contribution-to-medieval-astrology

These too are regularly cited as “Arabic” because they wrote in the Arabic language, and as did their Persian colleagues, used Arabic or Arabic sounding names. This was the expected and legal protocol of the period 700-1100 BCE. 

Now it’s time to review the vast Persian contribution to Arabic language medical astrology texts! This article will be of necessity brief…providing the reader a mere taste of this vast and remarkable Persian contribution.

Before I begin a brief perusal of some of the more influential Persian contributors, please note that this article was hard to write. I am neither Persian, nor a Persian historian, and thus feel unqualified to discuss this subject in the length and breadth it deserves. That said, I believe a medieval Persian medical astrology author’s “Who’s Who” can be attempted! More will be added as time permits.

We could also reach further back into deep time, identifying influences arriving from the early Persian and Babylonian Empires, Egypt, Mesopotamia, and so forth. However, that quest is beyond the scope of this article. Our current lens is focused on the medieval Persian contribution to the development of the distinctive medical system known as “Astrological Medicine”.

Before embarking on this quest, it is imperative for the reader to note that the medical system once known as “Astrological Medicine” is not identical “medical astrology” per se, because the later includes all cosmos-related medical lore of all world cultures.

 “Astrological Medicine” is the true name of the medical system in standard use throughout the late Medieval and Renaissance periods, with strong and enduring roots in Hellenistic Greece. This system incorporates full natal charts, transits, ‘decumbiture’ and consulting charts; and is used for diagnosis, prognosis, and all manner of timing and remediation, inclusive of herbalism, fertility, mental health, and surgery. Now that we have a firm definition, let us find our “lost” Persian writers who contributed so much to our present understanding.

THE PERSIAN SASSANID EMPIRE

224-651 CE: The Persian Sassanid Empire: First-wave translations of astrologically inclusive medical texts from their original Greek into both the Farsi and Arabic languages are accomplished by industrious Persian translators. This period commenced roughly one hundred years after the death of the Greek physician Galen, long considered the “father” of the early Western medical method.

The author of this timeline has just begun to research this period, so pardon massive name omissions. We do note that these transitional texts are foundational to the development of medieval medicine within both the Arab and later European Empires. The translation of many of these texts into Arabic established source book “stepping stones” for later Latin translations used throughout Europe. ‘Unani Tibb’, a traditional Persian medical system is conflated from Iranian, Indian, Arabic, and Greek sources. Unani Tibb’s most influential text source appears to be Ibn Sina’s 11th  Century Canon of Medicine (more below). Strangely, this text contains no horoscopic astrology. This will be discussed under below cited author Ibn Cina.

Let us respectfully meet some of the more influential Persian contributors to Astrological Medicine.

 Al-Andazaghar, Persian, (224-637 CE) authors the influential The Book of Nativities, a vehicle for the 6th-7th century astrological author Rhetorius. This work contains influential sections on astrological medicine that are later copied out by Sahl Ibn Bishr in the 9th century.  (Ibn Bishr’s medical writings became highly influential in the medical curriculum of some European Universities.) Al-Andarzaghar used earlier Greek source texts.

Abu Ma'shar al-Balkhi, (also known as Albumasar) 787-886:  An early Persian astrologer held to be the greatest astrologer of the Abbasid Court in Baghdad. He was a significant medical astrologer noted for his works incorporating astrological causation of disease, treatment timing and specific uses for Melothesia (Zodiacal Man). His writings were greatly influential to later practitioners of Astrological Medicine.

9th-13th Century, CE: Golden age of Arabic, Persian, and Jewish learning, discovery and text translation. Persian, Jewish, Muslim, Arab (and some Christian, Sikh, etc.) scholars translate Hellenistic Greek era astrological authors into Arabic and later, Latin. Elements of Greek Galenic medicine are absorbed into Arab and European medical practice (the 9th Century Medical University of Salerno was founded in Southern Italy). Scholastic centers evolve at Salerno, Toledo, Alexandria, Granada, Karwan, Constantinople, others.

Al-Biruni, 973-1048 CE: The famous Persian polymath with significant contributions to mathematics, astronomy, medicine, geography, physics and history. This revered period scholar authored perhaps the most comprehensive work on astrology of the era: “The Book of Instruction in the Elements of the Art Astrology”. This highly influential work includes as strong section on medical astrology in addition to other applications of astrological science.

Ibn Sina (Avicenna) 980-1037 CE:, renowned Persian philosopher, physician and polymath: He authored Kitab Al Qanun (Medical Canon of five books) and about 40 other works, many of which became essential texts for later European “Astrologo-physicians”. Regretfully, he felt that although astrology was a legitimate science, he refuted its importance and subordinated its status, most notably in his medicine text - where we note its glaring absence.

Ibn Sina’s Canon of Medicine established the seminal force foundational to ‘Unani Tibb’ (Persian Medicine). However, his reluctant opinion of astrology may explain the later lack of emphasis on distinctly medical astrology within that tradition!  This neglect is historically notable, considering the wide usage employed in both Arabic and European lands of zodiacal man, natal horoscopes, planetary aspects, decumbitures, et al.  One does not find these extant in the text of his influential Canon.

Astrologers point to the Four Humor theory as evidence of astrology within the Canon. However, while ‘Unani Tibb’ and ’Astrological Medicine’ both adhere to the Greek four element/four humor theory - the four elements and humors are not distinctly “astrological”!  In the mid and later Medieval period, both Persian translated Greek, plus original medical texts by astrology advocates Sahl Ibn Bishr, Mashallah, Haly Abenragel et al. moved intact into Arabic and later European lands, enabling a thriving tradition for Astrological Medicine within those empires.

It is however true, that although medical astrology per se is not included in Ibn Sina’s great and guiding Canon of Medicine, there remain individual practitioners of Unani Tibb who have continued its use through the ages!  After all, the centuries earlier Sassanid Persians were busily translating ancient Greek medical texts into Farsi and Arabic in their entirety, including the venerable astrological techniques still practiced today, that are not included in Ibn Cina’s great Canon.

Summary

My astute and knowledgeable Persian student originally presented me with a list of scores of notable Persian physicians of the Medieval period. She hypothesized that most utilized at least some of the principles and core techniques of ‘Astrological Medicine’ in their practices! She could be right.

While woefully neglected within the classical text of Unani Tibb itself, the Persian contribution to Astrological Medicine (escaping as it were, around the sides), is overwhelming throughout Medieval, Renaissance and today’s “modern” Astrological Medicine! The works of medieval Persian masters Abu Ma'shar, Al-Andarzaghar, Al-Biruni, Avicenna (Ibn Sina), and others, reach through time and eras into our present practicum. Next time you observe an astrological chart from the medical point of view, send a thought of gratitude back their way! A deep bow of recognition is long overdue the Persian contribution to Astrological Medicine.

ASTROLOGICAL TUTORING SERVICES

Our esteemed Academy Tutor, Marcus Romano, can be reached at: https://www.hillromanoastrology.com