Astrology has long mapped the heavens not only as a source of guidance but as a mirror of human extremes. Among its more ominous concepts is the Via Combusta, or “Fiery Road,” a thirty-degree stretch of the zodiac spanning from 15° Libra to 15° Scorpio. Ancient astrologers regarded this zone as malefic—a volatile region where planetary transits were believed to intensify conflict, obsession, and destructive impulses. While modern astrology approaches such claims symbolically rather than deterministically, historical patterns continue to ignite curiosity, particularly when celestial movements appear to coincide with darker chapters of human behavior.
The Via Combusta lies between Libra and Scorpio, a liminal zone associated with the malefics Mars, ruler of Scorpio, and Saturn, the exaltation of Libra.
The term Via Combusta originates from medieval Latin astrology, where it was associated with instability and danger. Planets passing through this region were thought to be weakened or corrupted, their usual significations distorted by the intensity of the terrain. The Fiery Road occupies the uneasy threshold between them—a symbolic no-man’s-land where harmony erodes and darker compulsions emerge.
In my current research, this ancient idea has resurfaced through statistical and historical correlations. A striking example appears when examining the transit of Pluto through the Via Combusta during the twentieth century. Pluto, associated in astrology with death, compulsion, control, and the underworld, moves slowly, spending many years in each sign. When it traversed this specific thirty-degree arc, I’ve noticed a pronounced increase in serial killing activity in the United States.
A comparison of serial killing rates and Pluto’s transit through the Via Combusta suggests an unusual correlation.The X Axis displays the number of serial killers, and the Y Axis shows the decades when their first killing happened. Along the Y Axis is Pluto’s transit through the Via Combusta.
Between roughly 1900 and 2010, charts tracking serial killings show a noticeable surge during the years Pluto occupied the Fiery Road. Astrology is not the art of causes – but it offers another perspective into reflective correlations. Pluto’s themes—obsession, domination, and hidden violence—align uncomfortably well with the psychology of serial offenders. When filtered through the ancient lens of the Via Combusta, the symbolism becomes even more concentrated, as if collective shadows are drawn to the surface.
The rise of serial killers during Pluto’s passage may reflect broader social transformations occurring simultaneously: urbanization, anonymity, breakdowns in community structures, and the psychological pressures of modernity. The astrological framework does not replace these explanations but offers a parallel narrative, one that situates human behavior within a larger cosmic rhythm.
Slow-moving planets like Pluto and Saturn are often associated with long-term collective shifts.
Looking forward, the question naturally arises: when will the Via Combusta be activated again by a malefic planet? The next significant transit will occur around 2040, when Saturn enters this volatile zone. Saturn, often linked with restriction, fear, and societal structures, will take approximately two and a half years to cross the Fiery Road. Historically, Saturn’s previous passages through this region coincided with periods of global strain, including the early years of the Second World War and the turbulent social climate of the 1980s, when Saturn and Pluto both occupied this sector.
The Via Combusta reminds us that certain historical periods may bring intensified challenges, forcing societies to confront their unresolved tensions. Whether interpreted psychologically, culturally, or mythologically, the Fiery Road continues to invites awareness of the forces, both internal and external, that shape collective behavior.
