Pisces, the Fishes, is a very old constellation, and is one of the original Zodiacal Constellations recognized in Ancient Times. In Greek and Roman mythology, this constellation represents the goddess Venus and her son Cupid, who transformed themselves into a pair of fish and jumped into the Nile River to escape from the monster Typhon. The images that concealed them were placed in the zodiac, where they are now known as Pisces, a lengthy double constellation occupying the region south of Andromeda and Pegasus and northwest of Cetus. Pisces acquired the title "Leaders of the Celestial Host" after precession brought the vernal equinox to a point south of the star Omega in the southwestern fish.

In very ancient times, Pisces was known by the Babylonians as Nunu, or fish, and symbolized the Syrian goddess Derke as well as Atargatis, who was important to many ancient nations and depicted as a huge fish with a woman's head.

Pisces was also significant to the early Christians, as it represented to them the "Miracle of the Loaves and Fishes" by which Jesus fed the multitudes.

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