Ambrosius Rhodius (astrologer)

Ambrosius Rhodius (born November 10, 1605 Kemberg , † December 27, 1696 ibid) was a German physician and astrologer .

Life

Ambrosius Rhodius was a son of the Kemberg pastor Jacob Rhode († 1636) and of Elisabeth born. Freywald († 1636); so he was a nephew of the same name Ambrosius Rhode . Up to the age of 15 he received lessons from his father. Then he was given a vacancy at the Princely School St. Augustin in Grimma . Shortly before the end of the training, Rhodius broke it off because of an emerging plague epidemic. He then began studying at the University of Wittenberg in April 1627 , where he was a student of his uncle A. Rhode, who was very influential in him. In 1629 he acquired a master's degree in philosophy, after which he continued his studies in the field of medicine and related directions. He also dealt intensively with astrology. In 1632 Rhodius moved to the University of Königsberg , where he continued his studies. In order to earn a living, he also gave lectures on physics and mathematics there . After three years he moved to Copenhagen . There he continued his studies, but ultimately did not get a doctorate because he could not afford the costs. Rhodius then accepted a job as a doctor in the Copenhagen children's home. Although a dangerous epidemic broke out in the city, he decided to stay there. In the meantime he had met many influential people and had also fallen in love with Miss Anna, the daughter of his landlord Frederici Severini (Sörensen). In 1637 Rhodius was appointed professor of physics and mathematics at the Christiania grammar school . He also received the post of medical officer there. Financially secured by this, it was possible for him to marry Anna Frederiksdotter in 1638; this connection remained without offspring. In 1647 Rhodius was accepted into the honorable circle of the Canons of Christiania. In those years he wrote several publications and also dealt intensively with astrology. So he prophesied, in the form of a Latin poem, in 1657 to the Danish king Friedrich III. the sovereignty and succession of his house, which came true three years later. Apparently also otherwise active as an astrologer, on the one hand the influence of Rhodius increased, while on the other hand he also created powerful enemies. The apparently unwise self-confident talk of his wife Anna about other people resulted in her and her husband being banished to Lapland , to the Vardöhus fortress . In 1666 Rhodius was allowed to return. Despite various attempts, he did not succeed in getting his wife free, who died in exile. He then returned home, to Kemberg. Here Rhodius entered into a second marriage in 1675 with Anna Dorothea Gröllmann († 1729), a superintendent's daughter from Graefenhainichen . In order to earn a living, Rhodius held lectures at the university in nearby Wittenberg until he was old.

Fonts

• M. Ambrosii Rhodii dialogus de transmigratione animarum Pythagorica […]. 1638.
• Disputationes supra ideam medicinae philosophicae Petri Severini. 1643.

literature

• Gottlieb Müller : life story an astrologer who was strange for the Crown of Denmark, Ambros. Rhodius, von Kemberg in Saxony, former professor and canon in Norway; described from collected documents, and issued by the jubilation of the Kingdom of Denmark because of the sovereignty introduced in 1660 ... 1760
• Hans-Joachim Böttcher : Rhodius, Ambrosius. In: Important historical personalities of the Düben Heath. AMF no. 237, 2012, pp. 83-84.