History of Dogs in Ancient Roman Society and Mythology

Did you know that dogs in ancient Rome were thought to warn people of approaching ghosts? Hello and welcome to World History Encyclopedia, my name is Kelly and today's video is all about dogs in ancient Rome and how they were regarded very much like they are today. Don't forget the easiest way to support us is by giving this video a thumbs up, subscribing to our channel and hitting that bell icon for notifications so you don't miss out on any new uploads. World History Encyclopedia is a non-profit organization and you can find us on Patreon, a brilliant site where you can support our work and receive exclusive benefits in return. Your support helps us create videos twice a week so make sure to check it out via the pop-up in the top corner of the screen or via the Patreon link down below. Dogs and their wolf ancestors had a long history with ancient Rome. The mythical founders of the city, Romulus and Remus, were suckled by a she-wolf when they were young and dogs played important roles in Roman society going forward. Dogs are thought to have been bred on the Italian peninsula by the Etruscans who were already long established by the time Rome was founded in 753 BCE but details on how they were viewed or their relationship to people are scarce. The Romans documented their relationship with dogs carefully however and today we know the roles they played in daily life, in war and in the stories that made up Roman myth and legend. The dog was primarily seen as a protector and features in several myths including those regarding Trivia, the goddess of ghosts, graveyards, witchcraft and crossroads, the Roman version of the Greek Hecate. Dogs were thought to be able to hear her approach before people could and a dog that seemed to be barking at nothing was actually understood to be warning its people of trivia and her entourage of ghosts. Dogs were also thought to be able to sense ghosts generally and protect against them and evil spirits. There are many Roman myths including dogs but among the most famous is the story of the goddess Diana and the youth Actaeon. Actaeon was out hunting with his dogs when he accidentally saw Diana bathing in a pond. Embarrassed and angry Diana changed him into a stag and he was then killed by his own dogs. In this story the role of the dog as protector of its master is reworked as dog as guardian of the divine in that Actaeon saw what no mortal should and the dogs made sure he would never live to tell of it. The dog was commonly used in hunting, guarding the house and farm animals, in sports, as a defense against ghosts and evil spirits, in religious sacrifice and in war. The most popular breed was the Vertragus, an ancestor of the modern Italian greyhound who was used in hunting and racing because of its great speed. The writer Gratius noted that the Vertragus ran swifter than thought or a winged bird and so was perfect for running down game or participating in races. Racing collars were lightweight and painted different colors to distinguish the contestants. At the start of the race the dogs and their handlers would line up and the dogs would be held in check by a leather leash, the liam, which passed through a metal ring on the collar. At the mark the handler would release the liam and the dog would be off down the track. The writer Varro who wrote extensively on dogs claimed that every home needed a guard dog and hunting dog, especially a farm, and that the dog should be white so it could be distinguished from a wolf at night and be fitted with a thick spike studded collar known as the meleum to protect its throat from the wolf attacks. According to Varro, once a wolf had met with the spikes of the meleum the collar was no longer necessary as the wolf would have learned its lesson. Columella, another Roman writer, claimed the dog was the most important aspect of home owning and the first purchase a responsible homeowner should make after setting up a residence. He differed from Varro in claiming that you needed at least two guard dogs, a white one to protect the home at night and a black one for day which would serve to intimidate thieves. He also claimed you should wait to name a dog so the name will fit the animal's personality and echoes the Greek writer Xenophon in suggesting that a dog's name should be one or two syllables so the dog learns it quickly and is easier to train. Well-trained dogs are attested to in stories of the hunt and as protectors but especially concerning their role in warfare. The historian Zonaris notes how keen-scented dogs, probably the Vertragus, were used by the Roman consul Marcus Pomponius Maetho in his Sardinia campaign of 231 BCE. The Sardinians had been impossible to defeat as they struck at the Roman forces through guerrilla warfare and then slipped away back to their hideouts before the army could engage with them. Once Pomponius began using dogs, Zonaris says, they were able to track the Sardinians to their camps and the campaign ended in victory for the general who returned to Rome in triumph. The Molossian was the most common breed used in war however and the most formidable. The Molossian was used as a guard dog for camps, as messengers and are claimed to have formed their own companies protected by body armor and the spiked milium collar. Pliny the Elder, Polybius and Plutarch all note the use of dogs in warfare and games in the arena and these are described as carne pugnacis, attack dogs who wore chain mail and spiked collars, carne villatica, guard dogs, carne nare sagacis, tracking dogs and carne pedibus cloris, chasing dogs. But the most popular dog used in battle was the carne corso, the large mastiff whose name translates as guard dog and was probably also the most popular overall in guarding homes, farms and military camps. The carne corso, vitregus and molossian were all popular breeds but another favoured primarily by women and children was the moletan, the Maltese who enjoyed napping in one's lap and so was known as a lap dog. The moletan provided the owner with companionship, warmth and was also thought to draw fleas away from the person. It was among the most popular breeds depicted on drinking vessels. The vitregus was also favoured as a companion and for warmth at night and when not on a hunt are depicted wearing narrow collars, lightweight and sometimes like with the moletan, adorned with bells. Collars sometimes featured small plaques engraved with the dog's name, owner's name and sometimes some line regarding the dog's personality. Pliny the Elder claimed a gold collar was the best for calming a dog and keeping it from unnecessary barking. Gold collars were joined by interlocking clasps and usually inscribed while more modest collars were made of leather or cloth. In keeping with its status as a highly valued friend, protector and hunting companion, dogs were also used in sacrifice because the Romans, like other cultures, only offered the best to the gods. The ritual known as the saplicia canum, punishment of the dogs, said to have been observed annually, involved the sacrifice of a dog or dogs for their failure to warn the city of the impending attack of the Gallic war chief Brennus in circa 390 BCE. While in the same ritual, geese were honoured for raising the alarm. For most of Rome's history however, the dog was understood as one's best friend, protector and in many ways was regarded as warmly as they are by people around the world today. Which ancient Roman dog would you have had? 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