10 Influential Astrologers That Shaped History Today, astrology is largely the stuff of superstition and poorly thought-out tattoos. That was not always the case, and for much of history, looking to the stars was an absolutely legitimate method of decision-making. That was true for everyone from the common man to the highest ranks of nobility, making some astrologers incredibly influential. 10Jean-Dominique Cassini Cassini is most commonly associated with his advancements in astronomy, but his interest in the stars started with astrology. In his day—the mid-17th century—astrology and astronomy still went hand in hand. The Italian-born Giovanni Domenico Cassini would later give his name to the space probe, but when he first moved to France for college, it was astrology he was studying.