Author: Alison Price   –   Published: September 2019   –   Updated: September 2026

The Milky Way

Home Galaxy

To understand the Great Year, it helps to start by looking at our place in the universe.

The Milky Way is our home galaxy.

It is a huge barred spiral galaxy containing hundreds of billions of stars.

It is estimated to be somewhere around 100,000 to 200,000 light years across, depending on how its outer boundaries are defined.

Orion Arm

Our Solar System is not sitting at the center of the Milky Way.

We are out towards the edge, approximately two-thirds of the way from the galactic center.

We live in a smaller spiral feature called the Orion Arm, sometimes called the Orion Spur.

So, when we look up at the night sky, we are looking out from within our own enormous galactic home.

The Galactic Center

27° Sagittarius

At the heart of the Milky Way is the Galactic Center.

In tropical astrology, the one we use, the Galactic Center is generally placed at approximately 27° Sagittarius, although the exact degree can vary slightly depending on the astronomical reference and calculation used.

You can check this in your ephemeris.

The Galactic Center is associated with the powerful radio source known as Sagittarius A*.

Astronomers have established that a supermassive black hole lies at the center of our galaxy.

The Archer

From an astrological perspective, the Galactic Center is fascinating because it gives us another way of thinking about Sagittarius.

Sagittarius is associated with the search for meaning, truth, knowledge, philosophy, exploration and our desire to understand the bigger picture.

And here we are, looking towards the actual center of our galaxy.

That is rather wonderfully Sagittarian.

The Last Ice Age

Back in the Day

To explore the Astrological Ages, we need to travel a very long way back in time.

Glacial Maximum

The most recent glacial period ended approximately 11,700 years ago.

This is often referred to as the end of the last Ice Age, although technically the term “Last Glacial Period” refers to the longer period of glaciation that preceded the current warmer period, the Holocene.

For our purposes, this gives us a useful historical marker.

We are going to step backwards through time and consider the Astrological Ages that humanity has passed through since the prehistoric world.

Of course, these dates are approximate.

There is no universally agreed beginning or ending date for an astrological age.

So, rather think of the dates as a framework rather than as hard historical boundaries.

The Age of Cancer: The Crab

Approximately 8,000–6,000 BCE

After Leo comes Cancer, the sign of the home, family, nourishment, protection and belonging.

This was a period in which human communities increasingly moved towards settled living.

Rather than constantly moving from place to place, nomadic style, people established permanent or semi-permanent settlements and villages.

Home

Home became increasingly important.

Food could be stored. Families and communities could establish themselves in one location. Agriculture began to develop and people learned to work with the seasonal cycles of planting and harvesting.

Cancer Themes

The symbolism of Cancer is remarkably appropriate.

Cancer is associated with the mother, the womb, nourishment, food, shelter and the creation of a safe place to live.

This period also saw the development of pottery and ovens.

Clay could be shaped into bowls, containers and cooking vessels and then hardened through fire.

Now We’re Cooking

We can see a fascinating combination here:

Cancer creates the container. Leo provides the fire.

The development of the wheel also transformed human life and eventually made transportation, trade and movement much easier.

The Age of Gemini: The Twins

Approximately 6,000–4,000 BCE

Now we move into Gemini, the sign of communication, language, curiosity, learning, information and connection.

This is where the story becomes particularly interesting.

Writing

Human beings were increasingly developing systems for communication and record keeping.

The development of writing was one of the great turning points in human history.

Instead of information existing only in memory or being passed from person to person orally, information could be recorded and preserved.

Messages could travel beyond the immediate presence of the person who created them.

This is wonderfully Gemini.

Connection

Gemini is about the exchange of information.

It connects one person with another.

It takes an idea from one mind and carries it into another.

Early forms of writing eventually developed into systems such as cuneiform in Mesopotamia.

Trade and Barter

Trade also expanded. The wheel made transportation easier and helped communities exchange goods over greater distances.

Human beings were not simply living in isolated groups anymore.

They were communicating, trading, travelling and sharing information and the Twins are all about the connections between people.

The Age of Taurus: The Bull

Approximately 4,000–2,000 BCE

Then we arrive at Taurus.

And here we find a world increasingly concerned with agriculture, food, fertility, land, possessions and material resources.

The Earth

Taurus is an Earth sign ruled by Venus.

The development of agriculture was transformative because people became increasingly able to cultivate crops, store food and establish more permanent communities.

Seeds could be deliberately collected, planted and harvested.

The Earth became something that could be cultivated and worked with to provide an ongoing supply of food.

Taurus Themes

There is a strong Taurus theme here:

Food. Land. Crops. Possessions. Security. Resources.

This was also the great age of early civilizations.

Egypt

In ancient Egypt, monumental architecture developed, including the great pyramids at Giza.

The Egyptians were extraordinary astronomers.

Their buildings and temples were carefully aligned with celestial phenomena and the movements of the stars.

Apis Bull

The bull was also an important sacred symbol in several ancient cultures.

In Egypt, the Apis Bull was associated with fertility, strength and divine power.

Interestingly, the Apis Bull is the logo for Novo Nordisk who created Ozempic and changed eating patterns for millions.

Ankh = Venus

The Egyptian ankh became a powerful symbol of life.

Venus, the ruler of Taurus, was also closely associated with fertility, beauty and the life-giving principle.

The age of Taurus was not simply about survival.

Human beings developed increasingly sophisticated systems of agriculture, architecture, craftsmanship, trade and wealth.

Copper, the metal of Venus, and other metals were worked into tools, jewelry and objects.

The concept of wealth became increasingly important.

The Age of Aries: The Ram

Approximately 2,000 BCE–0 CE

Then comes Aries, the Ram.

The tone changes dramatically.

Aries is ruled by Mars and is associated with action, courage, conflict, conquest, weapons and the warrior.

The symbolism of the Ram appears repeatedly in the mythology and religious traditions of this period.

Egypt

In Egypt, the ram was associated with several deities, like Rameses II, and became an important religious symbol.

Sacrificial animals, including lambs and goats, also became significant within various religious traditions.

This was increasingly a world of warriors, empires and conquest.

Iron, the metal of Mars, became an important material for weapons and tools.

Armor developed.

Military technology advanced.

Romans

The Roman Empire eventually became one of the most powerful empires the world had ever seen.

The Romans were remarkable engineers.

They developed sophisticated roads, bridges, aqueducts, buildings and systems of concrete construction.

Gladiators as Warriors

The gladiator became one of the most recognizable symbols of the Roman world.

Aries is the warrior.

Aries says:

I will act.
I will conquer.
I will go first.
I will fight for what I want.

There is also an interesting astronomical shift occurring as the vernal equinox continued its precessional journey backwards through the zodiac.

The equinox point was approaching the beginning of the tropical zodiac, traditionally marked as 0° Aries.

The transition from one Great Age to another is therefore symbolically associated with a major change in worldview.

The Age of Pisces: The Fish

Approximately 0–2,000 CE

And then we enter the Age of Pisces.

This is the age in which Christianity emerged and spread throughout the Western world.

Symbology

The Fish became one of the earliest symbols associated with Christianity.

The Greek word ichthys, meaning fish, was used as a Christian symbol and became a way for Christians to identify their faith.

The symbolism of Pisces is fascinating when viewed through the history of Christianity.

Pisces is associated with:

• Compassion
• Faith
• Sacrifice
• Forgiveness
• Spirituality
• Redemption
• Suffering
• Compassion for the outsider
• Dissolving the boundaries between self and others

Piscean Themes

Many of the central teachings of Christianity strongly echo these Piscean themes.

Forgiveness became a major spiritual principle.

Sacrifice became an important religious concept.

The teaching to turn the other cheek challenged the more aggressive warrior values associated with the preceding Aries age.

The story of the Good Samaritan emphasized compassion towards another human being, even someone outside one’s own community.

Water

Water also became an important Christian symbol.

Baptism uses water as a symbol of cleansing, rebirth and spiritual transformation.

During the Piscean age, organized religion became one of the most powerful forces shaping civilization.

Spiritual Texts

Eventually, the development of the printing press dramatically changed the distribution of religious and philosophical ideas.

Texts that had previously been copied by hand could be reproduced and distributed much more widely.

The Bible, Torah, Quran and other sacred texts became increasingly accessible.

The written word became a powerful vehicle for transmitting belief.

And once again, we can see the symbolism of the age reflected in human history.

The Dawning of the Age of Aquarius

The Pisces Aquarius Cusp

The transition between the Age of Pisces and the Age of Aquarius is not a single date.

There is no universally agreed year when one age suddenly ends and another begins.

Instead, we can think of it as a dawning.

The Dawning

The new age gradually becomes visible while the old age is still present.

This is why astrologers have debated the beginning of the Age of Aquarius for many years.

Some astrologers place its beginning centuries in the future. Others see the transition as already underway.

Swinging Sixties

One particularly interesting period was the 1960s.

This decade saw extraordinary technological, cultural and social change.

In 1969, humans landed on the Moon.

Space exploration suddenly moved from science fiction into lived human experience.

At around the same time, the Uranus–Pluto conjunction in Virgo occurred in the mid-1960s.

Uranus is the modern ruler of Aquarius and is associated with invention, technology, rebellion, freedom and sudden change.

Pluto represents profound transformation and the destruction of old structures.

Their conjunction coincided with a period of enormous cultural upheaval.

The old order was being challenged.

New technologies were appearing.

Social structures were being questioned.

The Moon landing expanded our sense of humanity’s place in the universe.

It is easy to see why astrologers look back at the 1960s and see the beginnings of an Aquarian dawn.

The Age of Aquarius: The Water Bearer

Approximately 2,000–4,000 CE

Aquarius is traditionally ruled by Saturn and, in modern astrology, by Uranus.

This combination is fascinating.

Saturn represents structure, systems, organization and established society.

Uranus represents innovation, freedom, technology, electricity and radical change.

The Age of Aquarius therefore has the potential to be about the development of increasingly sophisticated systems while simultaneously challenging old structures.

Electricity is a wonderful symbol for Aquarius.

Electricity changed the way human beings lived.

It brought light into our homes.

It transformed communication, transportation, manufacturing, medicine and entertainment.

Then came radio, television, computers, mobile phones and the internet.

Information could travel around the planet almost instantly.

The internet created a worldwide network connecting billions of people.

This is very Aquarian.

Global Network

The individual is no longer simply part of a local village.

We are now part of a global network.

Space exploration is another powerful Aquarian symbol.

We have moved beyond simply looking at the stars.

We have travelled into space, placed satellites into orbit and sent spacecraft to other planets.

The photograph of Earth from space also changed our collective perspective.

We could actually see our home planet as a single small world floating in space.

The Aquarian question becomes: How do we create a better system for everyone?

The challenge is that Aquarius can be brilliant at creating systems but can sometimes become detached from individual human needs.

So, the Aquarian Age may ultimately require us to balance technology with humanity, freedom with responsibility and the individual with the collective.

The Age of Capricorn: The Sea Goat

Approximately 4,000–6,000 CE

If we continue the traditional sequence, the next great month will take us into Capricorn.

Of course, this is far into the future and anything I say about this age is speculative.

Capricorn is ruled by Saturn and is associated with structure, authority, government, institutions, responsibility, hierarchy and long-term achievement.

The Sea Goat

So what might a Capricorn age look like?

Perhaps humanity will become increasingly concerned with how society is organized.

We may see questions around global governance, authority and the management of planetary resources.

Human reproduction could become more technologically managed.

Artificial reproduction, genetic engineering and other technologies may have developed far beyond anything we can currently imagine.

Capricorn also questions limits.

• How many people can the Earth support?
• Who makes the rules?
• How are resources like food and water distributed?
• What responsibilities do we have to future generations?

The Capricorn Age could therefore be less about individual freedom and more about systems, structures and long-term survival.

And perhaps this is the great lesson of the Great Year.

Humanity does not simply move from one age to another.

We carry the experiences of every age with us.

• The nurturing qualities of Cancer.
• The curiosity of Gemini.
• The material knowledge of Taurus.
• The courage of Aries.
• The compassion of Pisces.
• The innovation of Aquarius.
• And eventually the structure of Capricorn.

Overarch

The Great Cycle

Once I learned about the Great Year it occupied my mind for months.

Just trying to get my head around the massive time scales and that the Earth’s acids moves threw me off for a while.

The Great Year gives us astrologers a fascinating way to think about human history.

Each Astrological Age lasts for around two thousand years.

Each age brings its own symbolism, values and collective themes and always relates back to the sign’s core themes.

Dawn

But these age transitions are not switches that suddenly turn on and off.

They are more like dawn is.

One age gradually fades while another begins to appear like night and day.

And perhaps that is exactly where we find ourselves now.

Standing between the two great ages of Pisces and Aquarius, but leaning into Aquarius in a big way.

Cusp

Looking backwards at the Piscean world that shaped the last two thousand years while simultaneously watching the Aquarian future emerging around us.

The Great Year indicates that human history is not simply a straight line, but rather that moves in monster cycles.

And when we look at astrology on this enormous scale, we can begin to ponder very different questions.

Not just, “What is happening to me?” but “What is happening to humanity?”

And perhaps even more importantly, “What kind of world are we helping to create for the next Great Age?”

Lots to think about.

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Author Bio

Alison Price: Professional Astrologer

Alison helps you uncover your individual creativity and lead a fulfilling life using your own astrology. She shares her wisdom from the heart with a touch of humor. She offers Consultations for everyone and Coaching for Aspiring Astrologers.

If you’d like to get in touch with Alison, you can reach out to her via email at starzology@gmail.com.

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