some scholars have claimed that the babylonians invented the zodiac of 360 degrees around 700 bce, perhaps even earlier. many claim that india received the knowledge of the zodiac from babylonia or even later from greece. however, as old as the rig veda, the oldest vedic text, there are clear references to a chakra or wheel of 360 spokes placed in the sky. the number 360 and its related numbers like 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 108, 432 and 720 occur commonly in vedic symbolism. it is in the hymns of the rishi dirghatamas (rv i.140 - 164) that we have the clearest such references.