Chronocrators

Chronocrators

The chronocrators, the “markers” or “rulers” of time, are the periodic conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn that occur every 20 years. Because Jupiter and Saturn were the slowest-moving planets in the then-known solar system, their conjunction was perceived by the ancients as particularly significant. These celestial meetings indicated important events, as well as the beginning and ending of important periods of time. For example, some have speculated that the Star of Bethlehem was actually a Jupiter-Saturn conjunction.

Considerable traditional astrological literature exists on chronocrators. This literature develops, among other things, longer cycles out of the patterns of successive chronocrators (e.g., the two-century cycle during which chronocrators occur in the same element) and speculates about the significance of these longer time periods. Few modern astrologers have more than passing familiarity with this phase of astrology.