The Astrology Podcast – "Midpoints in Astrology: Historical Origins"

Host: Chris Brennan
Date: March 27, 2026
Episode Focus:
A deep dive into the true origins, historical development, and popularization of the midpoints technique in astrology—untangling myth and fact, and exploring its journey from 17th-century Italy through 20th-century Germany to the present.

Main Theme & Purpose (00:00–02:28)

Chris Brennan sets out to clarify the convoluted history of the midpoint technique in astrology—a method long shrouded in misattribution and confusion. Dispelling common myths that tie its creation to ancient astrologers like Guido Bonatti or Ptolemy, Chris presents original research tracing midpoints back to the 17th century, specifically to students of Placidus. He aims to present a clear lineage from its roots through its 20th-century German revival, correcting misconceptions in the English-speaking world.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. What Are Midpoints? (02:29–08:33)

• Definition:
  "A midpoint is halfway between two points in a chart or two planets in a chart." (A, 02:44)
• Technique:
  • Example: Mercury at 10° Scorpio, Jupiter at 20° Capricorn; midpoint is 15° Sagittarius.
  • If a third planet lands at the midpoint, their influences combine.
• Usage:
  • Employed in natal placements, transits, directions.
  • Sparked the creation of related techniques like the composite chart.
• Absence in Earlier Traditions:
  Midpoints are notably absent in ancient and traditional astrology.

2. Origins: Untangling the Myths (08:34–19:15)

• Misattributions:
  • Reinhold Ebertin, major 20th-century promoter, cited Bonatti as the origin but Bonatti’s 13th-century works (translated by Benjamin Dykes) do not mention midpoints.
  • Name confusion between the 13th-century Bonatti and Antonio Francesco di Bonatus (17th century) in German literature.
• Historical Clarification:
  • Walter Koch, a major German astrologer, previously traced the true history before the 1980s.
  • The real inception arises from two students of Placidus, following his innovative approach to house division and parallels.

3. Placidus and the Birth of the Midpoint Technique (Equidistances) (19:16–44:02)

• Placidus de Titus (1603–1668):
  • Published Physiomathematica (1650), innovated the most common system of house division.
  • Deeply engaged in defending astrology against both religious and scientific criticism.
• Parallels and Precedents:
  • Placidus championed "mundane parallels" and "parallels of declination"—precursors to midpoints, but more limited in scope.
  • Invokes the older doctrines of antiscia and contra-antiscia (based on equal distances from solstices/equinoxes).
• The Pivotal 1675 Edition:
  • Placidus' students, Francesco Brunacci and Francesco Maria Honorati, publish the expanded and edited second edition of Physiomathematica (1675), adding an appendix (under pen names) introducing "equidistances," i.e., midpoints.
  • They express euphoric excitement at this innovation, presenting midpoints as a "new world in astrological matters" (see Quotes).
• Their Reasoning and Examples:
  • Saw gaps in traditional aspects—events occurring without classic aspectual explanation led them to the midpoint insight.
  • Justified midpoints by analogy to aspect families: e.g., "the square is the halfway point between conjunction and opposition" (41:45), and the besiegement/enclosure concept.
  • Grounded theory with observed real-life cases in both natal and mundane astrology.
• Suppression:
  • The Inquisition banned all works by Placidus (1687), including the students’ innovations—thwarting wider dissemination.

4. Transference & Dormancy (44:03–1:01:09)

• Bonatus' Role:
  • Antonio Francesco di Bonatus (not Bonatti), in his Universa Astrosophia Naturalis (1687), references midpoints, credits them cautiously, but is skeptical pending personal verification.
  • His sanitized approach allowed the survival of his text— and with it, a thread of the midpoint doctrine.
• Astrology’s Decline:
  • Following this, astrology enters a long period of suppression and dormancy in Europe, contributing to midpoints largely being forgotten—except as a minor reference.

5. Twentieth-Century Revival in Germany (1:01:10–1:33:11)

• Key Figure: Albert Kniep (1853–1924):
  • Rediscovered midpoint ideas, likely via the second Placidus edition or Bonatus’ passage.
  • Taught Elsbeth Ebertin, Frank Glahn, and Alfred Witte.
• Alfred Witte and the Hamburg School:
  • Witte becomes the main proponent, developing Uranian astrology (Hamburg School), focusing on midpoints (as “planetary pictures”), dials, solar arcs, and introducing hypothetical “Trans-Neptunian” planets.
  • Witte credited as architect of the technique’s modern expansion, though controversial for his planet theories.
• Reinhold Ebertin and Cosmobiology:
  • Son of Elsbeth Ebertin, further systematized and popularized midpoints but eschewed hypothetical planets.
  • The Combination of Stellar Influences (first printing 1940, full edition 1950, English 1960), became the touchstone for English-speaking astrologers (along with Uranian School).

6. Suppression under Nazism (1:33:12–1:57:25)

• First Vibrant, Then Dark Times:
  • 1920s–early ‘30s: Astrological resurgence, innovative conferences, publishing.
  • Rise of Nazis: Bans on astrological books (like Witte’s Rulebook for Planetary Pictures, 1936); “subversive” content targeted.
• Turning Point – Rudolf Hess’s 1941 Flight:
  • Nazi regime blames astrology for Hess’s defection, sparks mass arrests and bans.
  • Astrologers (including Witte, Ebertin) detained; Witte, facing re-arrest, commits suicide (1:53:40).
  • Major losses: Literature destroyed, practice outlawed, many astrologers' fates grim.
• Post-War Rebuild:
  • 1945 onwards: Surviving astrologers rebuild the Hamburg and Cosmobiology traditions.
  • 1950: Ebertin’s Combination of Stellar Influences reissued, soon translated, cementing midpoints in international practice.

7. Popularization and Legacy (1:57:26–2:10:16)

• International Spread:
  • English translation of Ebertin’s work (1960) crucial in dissemination.
  • Luminaries like Rob Hand and Noel Tyl (1980s–2000s) further amplify midpoints in the English-speaking world.
• Composite Chart Innovation:
  • The midpoint principle becomes the basis for relationship analysis via composite charts.
• Periods of Suppression:
  • Brennan notes that midpoints survive two eras of broad suppression by accident—first under the Church, then under the Nazis—underscoring the fragility and serendipity of astrological history.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

On the Excitement of Discovery

• "Meanwhile we arranged new canons which had escaped Placidus, and a little later new familiarities were made obvious to us... to satisfy those demanding them, we deliberately super add them to the new edition of Placidian Philosophy with premature zeal." (Brunacci & Honorati, 37:00–37:50)

On the Technique’s Rationale

• "Having already refashioned the method of the part of Fortune, we undertake to uncover a new world in astrological matters." (Brunacci & Honorati, 38:45)
• "Any planet intercepted between two others mixes itself with them." (Brunacci & Honorati, 41:17)

On Midpoints and Aspects

• "The square radiation is the halfway point between the conjunction and the opposition, and likewise the sextile is the middle of the trine. It seemed that the distance between two planets, even if they are not joined by a traditional aspect, is of no light strength." (Brunacci & Honorati, 44:12)

On Historical Challenges

• "It's really sad, basically, that at this point, the concept of midpoints then functionally gets suppressed by the Catholic Church." (A, 51:10)

On Revival Through Survival

• "This is the book that then gets passed on eventually to the early 20th century, when some of the German astrologers of the early 20th century and the revival of astrology in Germany pick it up..." (A, 59:40)

On the Dark Side of 20th-Century Flourishing

• "It's an incredibly tragic and sad end to [Witte’s] story." (A, 1:54:00)

Important Timestamps

• 00:00–02:28 — Introduction: Setting the Record Straight
• 02:29–08:33 — Definition and Technical Explanation of Midpoints
• 08:34–19:15 — Myths & Confusion Over Origins (Bonatti, Ptolemy, Witte)
• 19:16–44:02 — Placidus, Parallels, and the True Birth of Midpoints
• 44:03–47:38 — Italian Student’s Appendix & Equidistances: the First Midpoint Doctrine
• 47:39–1:01:09 — Suppression and Survival via Bonatus
• 1:01:10–1:33:11 — Albert Kniep, Witte, Ebertin: German Revival and the Modern Period
• 1:33:12–1:40:49 — Nazi Crackdowns, Hess Affair, Suppression and Survival
• 1:40:50–1:57:25 — Postwar Rebirth, Ebertin’s Book, and Global Popularization
• 1:57:26–2:10:16 — 20th-Century Spreading, Composite Charts, Continued Influence
• 2:10:17–Close — Chris’s Reflections, Acknowledgements, and Resources

Conclusion & Reflections (2:07:40–2:10:16)

• Summary:
  Midpoints were consciously innovated in the 17th century by Placidus’s students, suppressed twice by larger historical events, but revived in the 20th century, especially by Alfred Witte and Reinhold Ebertin. Their work laid the foundation for midpoints’ central role in modern astrology.
• Chris’s Assessment:
  — "I myself haven't really used midpoints that much in like 20 years, since I got into ancient astrology, because, you know, they weren't really used in ancient astrology. And so I'm kind of ambivalent in terms of whether I use them or not. I don't really have a strong opinion, but I did want to work out this history... I hope I've been able to accomplish that today and that other historians or practitioners can build on that history." (2:08:40)

Resources & Acknowledgements (2:10:17–End)

• Thanks to:

  • Jen Zaart (Celestial Arts Education Library / Cayley Institute)
  • Scott Silverman (Uranian Astrology)
  • Philip Graves (Astrolearn Library)
  • Walter Koch (historian of house division, Koch Houses)
  • Michael Feist (Witte Verlag)

• Recommended Further Reading/Websites:

  • Celestial Arts Education Library (Cayley Institute), Olympia, WA
  • Astrolearn (Philip Graves)
  • Articles by Michael Feist (Witte Verlag)
  • Brennan’s earlier episode with Jen Zaart on Elsbeth Ebertin

For Listeners

• For those seeking deeper technical knowledge or access to rare source material, Chris recommends supporting or consulting the above libraries—cornerstones of astrological historical research.

This summary is designed for listeners seeking a detailed understanding of the midpoint technique’s origins and development, as well as the broader cultural and historical forces that have shaped astrology’s evolution.