Ancient Zodiacal Astral Science in Context
Internal Workshop 1–2 July 2026
ZODIAC - Ancient Astral Science in Transformation (ERC AdG No. 885478)
Freie Universität Berlin
Wednesday 1 July 2026
1 Zodiacal Astral Science in Local Contexts
a Egypt
10:00 - 10:45 Ptolemaic Egypt: Astral science and temple institutions
Speakers: Andreas Winkler, Michael Zellmann-Rohrer, Fabio Spadini
10:45 - 11:00 Coffee break
11:00 - 11:45 Roman Egypt: Astral science and temple institutions
Speakers Andreas Winkler, Michael Zellmann-Rohrer
11:45 - 12:00 Alexandria
Speakers Andreas Winkler, Michael Zellmann-Rohrer, Mathieu Ossendrijver
12:00 - 12:30 Synthesis
12:30 - 14:00 Lunch break
b Babylonia
14:00 - 14:45 Astral science in Achaemenid Babylonia
Speakers: Mathieu Ossendrijver, Marvin Schreiber
14:45 - 15:30 Astral science in Seleucid-Parthian Babylonia
Speakers: Mathieu Ossendrijver, Marvin Schreiber, Alessia Pilloni, Thomas Peeters
15:30 - 15:45 Coffee break
15:45 - 16:30 Babylonian temples and their communities
Speakers: Mathieu Ossendrijver, Marvin Schreiber, Alessia Pilloni
16:30 - 17:00 Seleucid era in Babylonia
Speaker: Alessia Pilloni
17:00 - 17:30 Synthesis
17:30 Reception
Thursday 2 July 2026
c Greco-Roman world
10:00 - 10:30 Astral science in Greco-Roman world
Speakers: Michael Zellmann-Rohrer, Fabio Spadini, Andreas Winkler
10:30 - 11:00 Oriental cults, Egyptianism, Babylonianism, localism, globalism
Speakers: Michael Zellmann-Rohrer, Marvin Schreiber, Andreas Winkler, Mathieu Ossendrijver
11:00 - 11:15 Coffee break
11:15 - 11:30Aramaic world, Palmyra, Doura Europos
Speakers: Michael Zellmann-Rohrer, Levente Laszlo, Mathieu Ossendrijver
12:00 - 12:30 Synthesis all
12:30 - 14:00 Lunch break
2 Developments in Empires
14:00 - 14:30 Achaemenid Empire
Speaker: Mathieu Ossendrijver
14:30 - 15:00 Ptolemaic and Seleucid Empires
Speakers: Andreas Winkler, Mathieu Ossendrijver
15:00- 15:30 Roman Empire
Speakers: Andreas Winkler, Fabio Spadini
15:30 - 15:45 Synthesis
15:45 - 16:00 Coffee break
3 Synthesis and Discussion
16:00 - 16:30 Synthesis of 1-2: Zodiacal Astral Science in Contexts of Empire:
Achaemenid, Seleucid, Ptolemaic, Roman
16:30 - 17:00 Outlook on ZODIAC Phase D
17:00 Reception, Dinner
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