It was during greek period that the 12 star signs of the zodiac with which many people are likely familiar today -Aries (March 21 – April 19), Taurus (April 20 – May 20), Gemini (May 21 – June 20), Cancer (June 21 – July 22), Leo (July 23 – August 22), Virgo (August 23 – September 22), Libra (September 23 – October 22), Scorpio (October 23 – November 21), Sagittarius (November 22 – December 21), Capricorn (December 22 – January 19), Aquarius (January 20 – February 18), Pisces (February 19 – March 20) – were set down.
These western or tropical zodiac signs were named after constellations and matched with dates based on the apparent relationship between their placement in the sky and the sun.
The 12 zodiac signs can be divided into 4 broad groups: Fire signs, earth signs, water signs and air signs.
Fire signs (The Exuberant and Physically active Group) Aries, Leo and Sagittarius Earth signs (The Practical and Grounded Group) Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn Air signs (The Mentally and emotionally agile Group) – Gemini, Libra and Aquarius Water signs (The intuitive and Family Oriented Group) Cancer, Scorpio, and Pisces.
Broadly speaking, fire signs are passionate and enthusiastic, earth signs are practical and rooted in reality, air signs are intellectual and inquisitive, and water signs are intuitive and emotional. Cardinal signs, which include Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn, herald new seasons.