Fighting dogs. Fighting dogs of the Spanish conquistadors Fighting dogs of Rome

Few people know the ancient breed of dogs Canis Pugnaces, this is a large Roman guard dog, it is its descendants that can now be called with confidence neapolitan mastiffs and Cane Corso.

Neapolitan Mastiff

Neapolitan Mastiff a very large dog, weighing up to 70 kg, and their main purpose is to guard. Since they are descendants of the fighting dog breeds previously used for baiting and fighting, their watchdog qualities are non-negotiable.

The dog, breed Neapolitano, already with its formidable appearance and impressive size causes fear and horror. But in the family, especially in relation to children, they behave nice and friendly.

The only thing you need to immediately explain to the children is that it is not worth teasing the dog. To keep the Neapolitano mastino you need a spacious house, you need to walk a lot with it, the dogs are smart enough and can be trained well.

Training and constant training are required in order not to get an uncontrollable pet.

Cane Corso

The second descendant of Canis Pugnaces is a dog breed Cane Corso... They are a sturdy and strong breed, they are skilled hunters and excellent watchmen. This breed has long been popular in the south of Italy, they were used in the hunt for wild boar, which they attacked and fought, as well as in the hunt for badger and porcupine at night.

Cane Corso used by shepherds, they protected herds of cows from predators. These dogs were taken with them on military campaigns, they were put on military armor and containers with resin, which were set on fire and the dogs - fire carriers were released on the enemy army. They were also used in bloody tournaments and for baiting wild animals.

In ancient times, the indispensability of this breed of dog was obvious. On legendary Italian prints and famous masterpieces of famous artists, you can see images of Cane Corso in hunting scenes, in fights with a wild boar.

Such powerful breeds require careful grooming, so serious thought should be given before adopting such a dog.

Before considering the actual combat use of dogs in the Roman world, it is necessary to outline the general picture of dog breeding, indicate what breeds then existed, give general data on the use and maintenance of these animals. Indeed, already in antiquity, the breeds in their use were divided into hunting, herding, guard and decorative. As far as we know, the Greeks and Romans used not some specially bred dogs for military purposes, but the same breeds with which they hunted (Polyaen., IV, 2, 16; VII, 2, 1; Ael. Var. Hist. , XIV, 46). In particular, the first group of breeds was used for battle, while the third category was used to guard military facilities * 1.
More than 150 names of dog breeds have survived from antiquity - the number is very significant, given that now there are about 400 breeds on Earth * 2. Sometimes only the names of the breeds (which were named after the place of origin) have come down to us without any specific characteristics. Let's consider first the main breeds to identify which ones were used in military science.
Lexicographer of the late 2nd century Julius Pollux, listing the most noble breeds, names (V, 37) Laconian, Arcadian, Argolid, Lokrid, Celtic, Iberian, Karin, Cretan, Molossian, Eretrian, Hyrcanian and Indian dogs. Obviously, this list, like most of his work "Onomasticon", compiled from Greek sources of the classical and Hellenistic times. Here, mainly Greek breeds are noted: three Peloponnesian - from Laconica, Argos and Arcadia, Middle Greek - Lokrid, island - Cretan and Eretrean, Epirus - Molossian. From the European and Middle Eastern barbarian breeds we find the Carian, Carinian, Iberian and Celtic; with the latter two, the ancient world became closely acquainted at the turn of the era. Asian breeds are represented by Hyrcanian and Indian dogs, already well known to Herodotus (VII, 187). A little later, around 200, the Apamean poet Oppian (Cyn., I, 368-375) gave a wider list of dogs recommended for hunting: Peonian, Ausonian, Carian, Thracian, Iberian, Arcadian, Argos, Lacedaemon, Tegean, Sauromatian, Celtic, Cretan, Magnetic, Amorgian, Egyptian Bootes, Lokrid and Molossian. As you can see, the list is wider, here they also added breeds that spread in the Roman era. In addition, the author added to the traditional Greek breeds the Tegean from the Peloponnese, the Amorgian from the island of the same name in the Aegeis, the Magnet from Anatolia, and the Italic (Ausonian). The range of barbarian breeds increased: North Balkan (Thracian and Peonian), Asia Minor Carian, Egyptian and Sarmatian shepherds. Moreover, the latter is the only one belonging to nomads, the rest of the breeds were bred for hunting by sedentary inhabitants, among whom hunting with hounds was very popular.
A few words can also be said about the specialization of various ancient breeds. Already in Xenophon's treatise "About hunting with dogs" we find recommendations for the use of specific breeds of dogs. Thus, for hunting deer, he advises taking strong and tall Indian dogs (Cyn., 9, 1), and for hunting wild boars - Indian, Cretan, Lokrid and Laconian (Cyn., 10, 1; compare: Philost . Imag., I, 27). The Carian and Cretan dogs, bred in the highlands, were good at tracking and chasing (Arr. Cyn., 3, 1; 4; Ael. Nat. An., III, 2; cf. Hygin. Fab., 189). Naturally, a wealthy Greek went hunting, taking with him various breeds of dogs intended for different purposes. In the 1st century. they went on boar and deer hunting accompanied by Laconian, Cretan and Molossian dogs. The first two breeds were used as hounds and greyhounds, tracking and chasing the animal, the third - as a greyhound, rushing at the animal when it was already in sight (Lucan., IV, 437-439; Senec. Phoed., 32-40) * 3.
The exterior of an ideal dog is drawn to us by the Roman encyclopedist M. Terentius Varro (116-27 BC). He describes the appearance of noble guard and herding dogs as follows (Var. De re rust., II, 9, 3-4): "They should look beautiful, large, with brown or gray-yellow eyes, with symmetrical nostrils, with lips blackish or reddish in color, and the upper ones should not be turned up or hanging down; with a short lower jaw, from which two canines protrude slightly on the right and left; it is better if the upper teeth grow straight and do not protrude forward, sharp and covered with a lip; the head is large, the ears are large, hanging; the scruff and neck are thick; the gaps between the joints on the paws are large; the thighs are straight, turned outward; the paws are large and wide, which look in different directions on the move, the toes are separate; the nails are hard, crooked, the pads are not hard , as if horny, but swollen and soft; lean back; ridge not protruding or concave; tail thick; barking thick and low, wide mouth; white color is best, because it is easy to distinguish it in the dark; general appearance, like that of a lion " (translated by M. E. S ergeenko). This is a general description that apparently correlates with Varro's recommended breeds: Laconian, Epirus and Salentine (Calabria). Moreover, we find the last shepherd breed only from this author * 4. The very same description is similar to the breed that was considered Epirus. Varro's dog serves as both a simple assistant to the shepherd and protector of the herd from wild animals. Moreover, with one shepherd, one dog is enough (Var. De re rust., II, 9, 16).
As we can see, in antiquity there were a large number of breeds that were considered noble. Which of them were considered the best in Roman times? Already on Samos under the tyrant Polycrates (538-522 BC) Molossian and Laconian dogs existed (Athen., XII, 540d). Aristotle in his "History of Animals" dwells on only two Greek breeds, Laconian (VI, 20, 134-141) and Molossian (IX, 3). T. Lucretius Kar (V, 1063-1073) in his poem "On the Nature of Things" compares human speech with the intonations of a Molossian dog, since it was most familiar to readers. The famous Roman poet P. Virgil Maron in the last third of the 1st century. BC e. considered as the best Spartan and Molossian breed, which were good watchmen and hunting dogs (Verg. Georg., III, 404-405). His equally famous contemporary Kv. Horace Flaccus (Epod. 6, 5-6) considers these same breeds to be good shepherds. They were also recommended as the most suitable for hunting by the author of the end of the 3rd century. M. Aurelius Olympius Nemesian of Carthage (Nemes. Cyn., 106-113):

Choose then easy to run and easy to return
or born in Lacedaemon, or in the Molossian village
the dog is not of a low kind. May it be from ancient blood,
let it be from the sublime,
and let it draw beautifully under a wide chest
from the ribs, under the inclined tail, its large body,
which is little by little tied back by a dry belly;
with a strong enough wide loin
and spread thighs,
and has very soft, swinging ears.

Consequently, throughout this time, up to late antiquity, these breeds were considered the best. So, for hunting and guarding livestock in pastures, they preferred to use two main breeds of dogs, Laconian and Molossian.
Let us dwell on the characteristics of these rocks in a little more detail. The Laconian breed, which got its name from the South Peloponnesian region of Laconia, was already well known to the Greeks. Among the latter, the epithet of the dog "Laconian" was used as often as the Cretan bow, Libyan lions and Armenian tigers * 5. This breed is already mentioned in the first half of the 5th century. BC e. Pindar (frg. 106). She was, for the most part, a hunting hound with a keen sense of smell (Soph. Ajax, 8) and a good tracker of the animal (Xen. Cyn., 10, 4). Callimachus in the middle of the 3rd century BC e. noted that the kinosurskie (= Laconian) * 6 dogs with their fast running hound the fallow deer and the hare, skillfully find the porcupine's lair and follow the trail of the deer and roe deer (Callim. Gymn., III, 94-97). The Laconians were also widely used in the Roman era (Senec. Phoed., 35; Sil. Ital. Pun., III, 295). Known "slender laquins" even at the decline of ancient society in the 5th century. (Claud. Cons. Stil., III, 300). Aristotle (Hist. An., VIII, 28, 167; Poll., V, 38) considered the Laconian breed to be a cross between a fox and a dog. Xenophon calls this type of dog a fox (Xen. Cyn., 3, 1). Apparently, this idea arose not only from the exterior of the dog, but also from its color, usually red (Horat. Epod., 6, 5). The German researcher V. Richter believed that this breed was a cross between a Great Dane * 7. Perhaps we see the laconic on the relief from the Spada Palace, representing the mythological twins Amphion and Zeta * 8.
Representatives of another no less famous Greek breed were the Molossians, named after one of the main tribes of Epirus. This dog breed was originally used by the Greeks and later passed on from them to the Romans. Initially, the molossus was probably a hunting and / or a herding dog with a stranglehold. It is no coincidence that Claudius Elianus in his "History of Animals" (III, 2) noted that "Molossus is the most courageous of dogs." Already Aristotle (Hist. An., IX, 1, 3) recommended the use of molossians as guard and hunting dogs, distinguished from other breeds by their courage and body size. Elian also notes the beauty and growth of the molossus (Ael. Nat. An., XI, 20; cf .: Colum. De re rust., VII, 12). In the cities, molossians were used as guard dogs (Aristoph. Them., 416; Propert., IV, 8, 24; Claud. De cons. Stilich., II, 214-215). Even at the end of the ancient world, Claudius Claudian mentions molossians as the most common dogs (Claud. Cons. Stilich., II, 214-215; III, 293; In Ruf., II, 420). Sometimes researchers believe that there were two separate species of this breed: the larger shepherd Epirus and the hunting Molossian, which are smaller * 9. However, the sources do not make any distinction between these two breeds, with the exception of the report of Nikandr from Colophon, distinguishing the mythological origin of the Epirus dogs from Chaonia and from Molossia (Poll., V, 38). E. Cooney is probably right, considering them as one breed * 10. Although, it is obvious that molossians within the breed had different subspecies, differing in time and place of their appearance. In general, as the German animal history researcher Otto Keller notes, the Epirus dog was a short-faced Great Dane with small bent down ears * 11. The Roman agronomist of the 1st century L. Junius Moderat Columella (De re rust., VII, 12) speaks of the black color of this breed. It is believed that Molossians were the ancestors of the Mastiffs, from which, in turn, the Bullenbeitsers * 12 descended. The molossus is probably represented by a Roman marble statue from Florence * 13. After all, this dog looks like a lion, and, as we remember, Varro compares the dog he recommends to the "king of beasts", although he does not mention the mane when describing the dog's exterior. Apparently, we also see molossians on coins from northwestern Greece: a silver one from Molossia, a bronze one from Epirus, and a bronze coin and a silver stater from Argos of Amphilochia * 14.
Now let's see how the dogs were selected and how they were kept. In general, regarding the color of a hunting dog, Xenophon remarked (Cyn., 4, 7-8): "The color of the coat should not be completely red or completely black or white: the suit is a sign of wild animals, not a real breed. Reddish or black color. should have white spots on the front of the head, white - reddish "(translation by G. A. Yanchevetsky). On the other hand, Flavius ​​Arrian (Cyn., 6, 1), a passionate lover of hound hunting, urged not to neglect dogs of the same color, black, red or white. Thus, apparently, these three colors were the main ones in ancient times.
There was no consensus regarding the choice of the sex of the dog. Thus, a bitch was considered faster than a male, but the latter was more resilient (Arr. Cyn., 32, 1). The famous historian, as well as a passionate lover of hound hunting, Flavius ​​Arrian noted that the dog retains its agility until the tenth year, and the bitch until the fifth (Arr. Cyn., 32, 2).
Sometimes shepherd dogs were bachelor, believing that then they would not leave the herd, sometimes they did not, believing that after castration they would be less evil (Var. De re rust., II, 9, 14). For bitches, so as not to spoil the breed, Xenophon recommends tying wide belts with points (Cyn., 6, 1).
Even herding dogs were advised to have a special collar melium ("best"), which was studded with nails on the outside and covered with a soft skin on the inside. He protected the dog from the bites of wild animals (Var. De re rust., II, 9, 15). Even Xenophon (Cyn., 6, 1) advised making the collar wide, and the leash with a loop for the hand. If the tied animal gnawed at the belt, then it was replaced with an iron chain (Arr. Cyn., 11. 1). Turning to the training of hunting dogs, it can be pointed out that already at the age of 11 months, the male was accustomed to the species of a hare (Arr. Cyn., 25, 1-2), but was taken out to hunt only from the age of two (Arr. Cyn., 26, 1 ). Arrian recommended, under normal conditions, to keep the animal on a leash and walk it four times a day (Arr. Cyn., 12, 1). As an encouragement, words of gratitude should be named along with the name of the animal: "Okay, oh, Kirra; okay, oh, Bonneau; fine, oh, Horma." At the same time, the dog was scratched behind the ears or even kissed on the head (Arr. Cyn., 18, 1).
Dogs were given short nicknames, based on their color and habits, purposes of use, or some analogy. Arrian, referring to how the choice of a nickname was made, reports that they chose already existing names or themselves invented them (Arr. Cyn., 31, 2). His predecessor and role model Xenophon (Cyn., 7, 5) gives a whole list of short euphonious names that he recommends to give to dogs. Columella (De re rust., VII, 12) recommended giving even guard and herding dogs the nicknames of hunting dogs from two or three syllables (compare: Arr. Cyn., 31, 2) * 15. Xenophon (Cyn., 7, 5) gives 47 nicknames, Ovid names 37 nicknames of dogs belonging to the passionate hunter Actaeon (Ovid. Met., III, 206-233), Hyginus even gives 52 nicknames of these dogs, of which 25 belonged to males, and 27 to females (Hygin. Fab., 181). For example, Virgil in the "Bucolics" made in the Hellenic color gives Greek nicknames to the dogs mentioned here: the shepherd's bitch - Litsiska (III, 18: Lycisca - "she-wolf"), and the watchdog - Gilax (VIII, 106: Hylax - "barking" ). Indeed, the Romans often gave their dogs Greek names * 16.
Obviously, the range of dog food directly depended on the wealth of the owners, the season, the fertility of the area. So, Varro (De re rust., II, 9, 9) recommended feeding the dog well enough, barley bread, crushed into milk, a decoction of the bones and the unmilled bones themselves. Columella (De re rust., VII, 12, 10) prescribed a leaner diet for dogs, a shepherd's - egg bread in whey, and a watchman - wheat bread, crumbled into a bean soup. Later, in the first half of the 2nd century, Arrian (Cyn., 8, 1) considered wheat or barley bread and water, as well as a decoction from fatty beef, to be the best food. In the heat, the animal was instructed to drink an egg, having previously thrust it into its mouth (Arr. Cyn., 13, 2). The pregnant dog was advised to use egg rather than wheat bread (Varro. De re rust., II, 9, 11). Arrian advised the bitch to become appalled to give beef liver baked in ash and pounded like barley (Arr. Cyn., 8, 1). Virgil suggested feeding Laconian and Molossian puppies with fatty serum (Verg. Georg., III, 406: serum pingue). At the same time, Arrian (Cyn., 13, 1-2; cf.: 14, 3) recommended feeding the dog in the evening in winter, and in the summer (since the day is longer) also in the morning, then he can be given salted lard.
Now, after analyzing some aspects of raising and keeping dogs, let's turn directly to the service of dogs. In works written by canine handlers one can find statements such as: "The Molossian Great Danes were widely used by the Romans in military operations against various tribes of Central and Western Europe" * 17. To verify this provision, let us turn to the sources. In this case, the ancient written tradition is of the greatest importance, while the information of representative monuments is of an auxiliary nature, since it does not contain signatures informing us about who is depicted here. It can be immediately noted that in the sources that have survived to our time in the description of hostilities there is no mention of the use of dogs by the Romans directly in battle.
The Roman encyclopedist Pliny the Elder (Plin. N. h., VIII, 142) reports on the importance of the fighting qualities of a dog in the ancient world: "The dog fights against robbers for the master, receives and strikes, but does not retreat from his body; he drives away wild animals" ... In particular, in the ancient literature the following case with the corpse of one Roman is given. Claudius Elian says (Ael. Nat. An., VII, 10): "It is believed - and this is obvious - that dogs have an irresistible love for those who keep them. In one of the civil wars in Rome, Kalba the Roman () was stabbed to death, however, none of the enemies of this man could cut off his head (although many arranged a competition for this trophy), before they killed the dog standing near the corpse, raised by him, because it was because of love that she saved and fought for the fallen, as if companion and excellent companion, who was his friend to the end "(also see: Plut. Soler. an., 13, 7 = Moral., 969d; Tzezt. Chiliad., IV, 232-234). Who this man was is unclear. Maybe Emperor Galba? But John Tsetz calls him a strategist, however, perhaps this is not a terminus technicus, but a simple name for the commander of the troops (Tzezt. Chiliad., IV, 232) 18. If it was Galba, then the event refers to 69, although it should be noted that in other stories about the death of Galba, who was riding in a palanquin, from a crowd of praetorians, this episode is not mentioned (Tac. Hist., I, 41; Suet. Galb., 19- 20; Plut. Galb. 26-27). A similar story about the loyalty of the dog who guarded the body of the owner dates back to the time of King Pyrrhus (Plut. Soler. An., 13, 8-9 = Moral., 969d-e; Ael. Nat. An., VII, 10; Tzezt Chiliad. IV, 211-220). There were cases of this kind in the New Time. So, after the victory over the Austrians at Bassano (1796), Bonaparte noticed a dog on the battlefield, which was guarding the body of its fallen master * 19.
Naturally, the Romans, with their love of gladiatorial battles, could not help but use dogs during the empire in venationibus - in persecuting wild animals in the amphitheater (Martial. Epigr., XI, 69; compare: Claud. De cons. Stil., III, 298-301) * 20.
As far as we know, in military affairs, dogs were used by the Romans in functions similar to their usual use: guarding objects and tracking down. However, very few mentions of such cases have survived.
So, the consul in 231 BC. Mark Pomponius received the recently annexed (in 238 BC) Sardinia * 21 to conduct military operations. If the coastal part of the island was conquered, then the central mountainous regions were not subdued and the local population, waging a war using partisan methods, hid in underground dwellings in the mountains covered with forests (compare: Diod., V, 15, 4-5). Then Pomponius ordered track dogs from Italy to find refuge for the natives. This is how the Byzantine historian John Zonara (Hist., VIII, 18d) describes this episode: "Mark Pomponius received Sardinia and after learning that many of them [= Sardis] hid in hard-to-find forest caves, - but he could not find them," called from Italy sensitive dogs, by means of which he, having found the way, captured many people and cattle ". Thus, we clearly see that under the Roman army there were no special dogs, not even hunting dogs, that could find the fugitives. The tracker dogs had to be discharged from neighboring Italy. It was they who found mountain paths to the shelters of local residents. These animals were either some kind of specially trained to find people (escaped slaves?), Or they were ordinary hunting dogs. This method of catching an escaped enemy was not unique. This is how the Macedonians (356 BC) acted in search of the mountain Thracians hiding in the wooded area, who were looking for "hunting dogs" (Polyaen., IV, 2, 16), and later the Spanish conquistadors caught the Indians in this way.
Another, later, evidence of the use of dogs in military affairs is the message of the Roman writer Flavius ​​Vegetius Renatus, who presented his epitome of military affairs to the emperor around 386/387 * 22 Vegetius, according to military practice, recommends to prevent a surprise attack tying dogs with a keen sense of smell to the enemy in the castellas of limes (Veget. Epit., IV, 26): "The custom has also introduced the following: to keep very energetic and sensitive dogs on the towers, who will be the first to sense the approach of enemies by smell and bark will detect it." Since the work of Vegetius, as he himself points out (Epit., I, 8; IV, 30), was based on the writings of the writers of the past, this recommendation could be a transposition of an older custom * 23. So, already the author of the IV century BC. e. Aeneas the Tactician (Aen., 22, 14) recommended that on dark winter nights, dogs trained to hunt at night should be tied to the outside of the walls, which, with their barking, would detect an enemy scout or defector. As you can see, although the methods of using dogs in Vegetius and Aeneas are similar, there are also significant differences in the purposes of use: in the first case, to prevent an unexpected attack from enemies, and in the second, to find scouts and defectors. Even if we assume that Vegetius was guided in writing this passage directly by the advice of Aeneas himself or derived it from some intermediary author, he nevertheless speaks of his own military necessity, adapting it to his circumstances.
It is difficult to say whether Vegetius' recommendation was followed. Usually, after all, what is recommended is what is not. Otherwise, why advise what everyone is doing anyway? On the other hand, the recommendation, judging by the reference to custom, was based on actual practice. The English researcher of Roman military affairs Michael Bishop, in a message on the military history signature sheet De re militari of December 7, 1999, noted that he was not aware of the findings of any dog ​​kennel in excavated Roman forts. However, there is nothing improbable in the suggestion that the Romans used dogs to guard the limes, keeping them in castellas * 24. Although on the columns of Trajan and Marcus Aurelius, the fortifications of the border are shown without images of dogs and their booths, we know that dogs were widely used both to guard private dwellings and to protect public buildings, in particular, temples (Plut. Solert. An., 13 , 11 = Moral., 969; Ael. Nat. An., XI, 3; 5; Philost. Apol. Thyan., VIII, 30, 2). So, on the Capitol, the temple of Jupiter was guarded by dogs. This was both during the invasion of the Gauls (390 BC), and later at the turn of the III-II centuries. BC e., when P. Scipio Africanus went at night to consult with God in this sanctuary; in the 1st century. BC e. dogs on the Capitol were also released at night to guard against thieves (Liv., V, 47, 3; Cicer. Pro Sext. Rosc., 56; Aul. Gel., VII, 1) * 25. As early as 536, the Byzantine commander Belisarius, besieged by the Goths in Rome, for safety, sent soldiers, mostly Moors, with dogs for the night before the moat of the city, who were supposed to prevent possible intercourse of unreliable Romans with enemies (Procop. Bel. Goth., I, 25, 17). Thus, the dogs were used for the security service.
The French researcher E. Cooney believed that during the Marcomannian Wars (167-180) the Romans used large fighting dogs * 26. This assumption is based on the drawing in the Italian edition of I.P. Bellori of one relief from the column of Marcus Aurelius in Rome * 27. However, even from this drawing it is clear that the relief is very poorly preserved, and the pair of "dogs" presented here in their size, rather, resembles lions or horses. This place in the photographic reproduction of the reliefs of the column in the 1896 edition is so spoiled that absolutely nothing can be discerned * 28. In addition, it is impossible to say with certainty whether I.P. Bellory himself reconstructed this image or whether the figures could still be disassembled at the beginning of the 18th century. However, even if these are dogs (which, however, is unlikely), then even then they are not depicted in a battle scene, they just stand in a peaceful atmosphere. However, it is more likely that these were still horses that jump on the reliefs in the vicinity of this image * 29.
Thus, one can join the traditional opinion that the Romans did not use dogs directly in battle * 30. At the same time, the warriors of the empire apparently used guard dogs to guard important state facilities and, possibly, to guard the limes. For this, especially vicious guard dogs were chosen. Most likely, tracker dogs were also used to search for fugitives * 31. That's all we can say about the use of dogs in Roman warfare, according to ancient sources.

A. K. Nefyodkin

Literature:

* 1 See: R. Baider. Fighting dogs of the world. M., 1993.S. 6.
* 2 Kalinin V.A. The origin of dogs, breed formation and classification of breeds // Questions of cynology. 1993. No. 1-2. P. 29.
* 3 See: Menzbirm. Dogs // Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Russian Bibliographic Institute Pomegranate. T. 39. [Without a year] 7. Qty. 667.
* 4 Sergeenko M.S. 2 to Varr. About agriculture., II, 9, 5 (see: Varro. About agriculture / Transl. M. S. Sergeenko. M.-L., 1963. S. 187)
* 5 Aymard J. Essai sur les chasses romaines des origines a la fin du siècle des Antonins (Cynegetica). Thèse. Paris, 1951. P. 254.
* 6 See: Keller O. Die antike Tierwelt. Bd. I. Leipzig, 1909, S. 120.
* 7 Richter W. Hund // Der Kleine Pauly. Lexikon der Antike. Bd. II. Lief. 12. 1966. Sp. 1246.
* 8 Keller O. Die antike Tierwelt. Bd. I. S. 122, Fig. 47; Aymard J. Essai sur les chasses romaines ... P. 256.
* 9 Bogolyubsky SN The origin and transformation of domestic animals. M., 1959.S. 518; Wed : Cougny E. Canis // DS. T. I. Pt. 1 (1877). P. 881.
* 10 Cougny E. Canis. P. 881.
* 11 Keller O. Die antike Tierwelt. Bd. I. S. 104.
* 12 Dog // The New Encyclopaedia Britannica. Vol. 5 (1980). P. 929.
* 13 See: Cougny E. Canis. P. 881, fig. 1109 (drawing); Keller O. Die antike Tierwelt. Bd. I. S. 112, Fig. 43 (photograph). While J. Eimard believes that the statue represents a fighting dog from Anatolia (Aymard J. Essai sur les chasses romaines ... Pl. IX).
* 14 Imhoof-Blumer, Keller O. Tier- und Pflanzenbilder auf Monzen und Gemmen des klassischen Altertums. Leipzig, 1889, S. 8; Taf. I, 31; 32; 33; Keller O. Die antike Tierwelt. Taf. I, 2; 4; 6.
* 15 For more details on nicknames, see: Baecker E. De canum nomibus Graecis. Dissertatio inauguralis ... Regimonti, 1884. P. 59-63; cf .: Keller O. Die antike Tierwelt.
Bd. I. S. 135-136.
* 16 For an index of names see: Baecker E. De canum nomibus Graecis. P. 1-7.
* 17 Kalinin V. A. The origin of dogs ... P. 26. Rather, it is necessary to assert the opposite: the Celts used dogs against the Romans (Strab., IV, 5, 2; Keller C. Die Stammengeschichte unserer Haustiere (Aus Natur und Geisteswelt. Bd. 252). Leipzig, 1909. S. 33) ...
* 18 See: Mason H.J. Greek Terms for Roman Institutes. A Lexicon and Analysis. Toronto, 1974. P. 86, 156-162 (in the technical sense, a legate, praetor, governor of a province could be called a strategist).
* 19 Jesse G. R. Research into the History of the British Dog, from Ancient Lows, Charters, and Historical Records. Vol. I. London, 1866. P. 171.
* 20 Cougny E. Canis. P. 889; Roussel P. Les a l "poque hellénistique et
romaine // Revue des études grecques. T. 43. 1930. No. 203. P. 369-371. For depictions of the baiting of animals in the amphitheater by gladiators with dogs from the empire period, see: Aymard J. Essai sur les chasses romaines ... Pl. IIB; XVII.
* 21 Gundel H. Pomponius. 18 // RE. Bd. XXI. Hbbd. 42 (1952). Sp. 2330; Wed: Mommsen T. History of Rome / Per. with him. T. I. SPb., 1994. S. 430.
* 22 Zuckerman C. Sur la date du traité militaire de Végèce et son destinataire Valentinien II // Scripta classica Israelica. Vol. XIII. 1994. P. 67-74. Another supposed date of writing the treatise is the reign of Emperor Valentinian III (425-455), see: Goffard W. The Date and Purpose of Vegetius "De re militari" // Traditio. Vol. 33. 1977. P. 65 -one hundred.
* 23 P. Roussel believed that it was about Greek material (Roussel P. Les
... P. 363).
* 24 Keller O. Die antike Tierwelt. Bd. I. S. 128; Orth F. Hund // RE. Bd. VIII. Hbbd. 16 (1913). Sp. 2567; Richter W. Hund. Sp. 1247.
* 25 See: Forster E. S. Dogs in Ancient Warfare // Greece and Rome. Vol. 10.1941.
No. 30. P. 116.
* 26 Cougny E. Canis. P. 889.
* 27 Bellorius I. P. Columna Antoniana Marci Aurelii Antonini rebus gestis insignis ... Romae, 1711. Pl. XIII.
* 28 Petersen E, von Domaszewski A., Calderini G. Die Marcus-Säule auf Piazza Colonna in Rom. Bd. I. München, 1896. Taf. 19A-B.
* 29 See: Bellorius I. P. Columna ... Pl. XIII-XIV; Petersen E, von Domaszewski A., Calderini G. Die Marcus-Süle ... Taf. twenty.
* 30 Cougny E. Canis. P. 889; Keller O. Die antike Tierwelt. Bd. I. S. 127; Orth F. Hund. Sp. 2567; Hilzheimer M. Dogs // Antiquity. 1932. No. 4. P. 416.
* 31 For this see: Cougny E. Canis. P. 889.

Fighting dogs- were used in the battles of the armies of the period of antiquity and the Middle Ages with the aim of directly killing enemy soldiers. The first evidence of such use in military conflicts dates back to the reign of Tutankhamun in Egypt (1333-1323 BC). An image of a battle led by the pharaoh has survived, in which, next to his chariot, enemy troops also attack dogs. Similar breeds of dogs are depicted in numerous hunting scenes of royal Egypt. It is likely that dogs were used in wars in the Nile Valley for some time, but this probably did not last long and eventually stopped.

Mesopotamia

It has already been proven that the ancestors of most modern Great Danes / Mastiffs were the Tibetan Mastiffs. They were used for military purposes and were considered a noble breed since ancient times. From Central Asia, first to Iran, and from there through Mesopotamia and Western Asia, this breed spread throughout Eurasia from the middle of the II millennium BC. e., that is, with the beginning of the conquest of the Punjab and the Indus Valley by the Aryans. In India, during the fighting, these dogs were attached to their backs with torches that burned, and they with fire and their ferocity terrified opponents during the battles. The oldest image of the Tibetan Great Dane in Mesopotamia dates back to the 12th century BC. That is, where it is used when hunting a lion. The fighting qualities of the breed, apparently, were quickly appreciated by the then rulers of the states of Babylonia: for military needs they began to raise special breeds of dogs with a fairly large mass, which often reached 100 kg, extraordinary strength, strong jaws, increased aggressiveness and courage.

The training of fighting dogs was carried out by special teachers. It is known from the cuneiform tablets that the inhabitants of the provinces in Nineveh and Nimrod, who raised the war dogs, were exempted from taxes to the treasury, that is, already in the first half of the first millennium BC. That is, the Assyrians had specialists in this industry. Pupils for further training were selected as puppies. Before the battle, the dogs were dressed in weapons specially made for them. They usually consisted of a metal or leather carapace that covered the back and sides of the dogs, or chain mail. Sometimes they wore a metal helmet. Armor was often armed with long spikes or double-edged blades on the helmet and collar. With their help, the dog in the battle cut the legs, arms and body of the warrior attacked by him, wounded the tendons of the legs and ripped open the bellies of horses in a collision with the cavalry.

Assyria

It seems that it was the Assyrians who first began to use the war dogs as an independent military force. Wide strong chest, powerful thick paws and a huge mouth with sharp fangs - such weighty features clearly distinguished Assyrian fighting dogs of other breeds. Egyptian papyri indicate that such a dog could easily bite the leg of a cavalry horse and cause panic to the riders. At that time, military science did not know the battle formation - the soldiers came to battle in weakly armed and poorly organized crowds, while the leaders and nobles fought, standing on war chariots. In the Assyrian army at the beginning of the 1st millennium BC. That is, battle dogs played the role of breakout detachments: an avalanche of dogs in armor and chain mail rolled over the enemy in front of their own troops, advancing, sowing panic and horror on the enemy. It is interesting that the warriors-"dog handlers" were always accompanied by priests who, according to ancient sources, had a telepathic connection with their dogs. This was necessary if the animals got out of control during the battle, or they were attacked by a fighting frenzy (which was not uncommon during prolonged bloody clashes). Usually the war dogs of the Assyrians went on the attack along with the war chariot, and sometimes together with the well-trained cheetahs. One chariot was accompanied by two or three dogs. In the battle, they swiftly rushed into the fighting ranks of the enemies in whole flocks, causing confusion among them, inflicting wounds and mutilations on soldiers and horses. In skillful hands, they were a terrible weapon and brought victory to the commander.

Aboriginal dogs

Subsequently, military dog ​​breeding was adopted from Assyria to Urartu and other neighboring states and tribes. In the VIII century BC. That is, first in Transcaucasia, and then in Mesopotamia, first the Cimmerians broke into, and then the Scythians, who had been an active military force in the region for more than a century. It was these nomadic tribes who introduced the European world to the dogs of war. Thanks to the Scythians, these rocks spread to the Black Sea region, and from there to Central and Western Europe. The golden bowl from the Solokha burial mound characteristically shows us a scene of the hunting of the Scythians together with the dogs on the lion. Subsequently, the fighting qualities of these dog breeds were appreciated by the Persians, who also used them for military purposes. So, during the conquest of Egypt in 525 BC. King Cambyses used heavy (according to sources - up to 80-100 kg!) Mastiffs. After the Xerxes defeats in the wars with the Greeks, this breed passed to the inhabitants of Hellas as a trophy. The ancient Greeks, before meeting the "barbarians of Pontus of Euxinus" and the Persians, did not use dogs in wars - their art of fighting in phalanxes did not particularly allow the use of mobile units. However, after the Greco-Persian wars, a breed spread among them, which later became known as "Molossians". Later, the Greeks used them in intelligence, to fight spies, as sentries. Molossians and Mastiffs, a diverse group of robust large dogs, later spread to Etruria and the Roman Empire. It was their researchers who have long considered the aboriginal dogs of this part of the world. They have proven themselves to be the guards of garrisons, people and hunting. All officials and military leaders kept four-legged favorites of this particular breed.

Greece

Having defeated the Asian aggressor and received his dogs as a trophy, the Greeks began to train them themselves. In the IV century BC. e. in the region of Molossia (Greece), a nucleus of breeding material was formed, and the business was put on stream; keeping a monopoly on the breed, only males were sold. Huge dogs with a wide mouth, square head, massive neck and "lion manners" began to be called "Molossian dogs" (canis molossus) or "Epirus dogs". Their special strength, height, ferocity and endurance made them an effective living weapon. Alexander the Great was a passionate lover of battle dogs, who played an important role in their distribution. He was "under arms" 4000 huge mastiffs in chain mail, putting to flight the infantry, cavalry and even the Persian war elephants. Grabbing enemy horses by the nostrils, they brought them down with the rider. Alexander the Great collected large fighting dogs as trophies and gifts from subordinate rulers. So, the king of Epirus (Greece) sent him two huge dogs, single-handedly taking a lion and an elephant! And the gift from India was 156 "huge, terrifying appearance, extraordinary size and strength of the dogs, which together could stretch a lion." The dogs not only fought, but also escorted the prisoners, guarded the fortresses, forward posts. The ancient Greek historian Plutarch described the feat of a dog named Soter (IV century BC): “Corinth was guarded by a garrison, helped by 50 Molossians who slept on the shore. One night, enemy troops landed from the sea. The garrison, having drunken the day before, did not notice this, and only the dogs met the enemy. However, the forces were unequal, and 49 dogs were exterminated. Only Soter escaped and raised the alarm with a bark. The Corinthians took up arms and fought off the enemy. As a reward, the dog received a silver collar with the inscription "Defender and Savior of Corinth," and a monument to the dog was erected in the city. "

Rome

The Romans also used dogs in the professional army, especially during Republics... For the first time on Italian soil, they, together with war elephants, fought at Heraclea for the Epirus king Pyrrhus (280 BC). Rome knew how to learn - soon war dogs appeared in his legions. In many a warring country, the qualities of these animals came to the court, and the Romans bought them in large quantities in Greece. And then, having defeated the Greeks, they completely captured their dogs and were delighted with such an inheritance. So, the consul Lucius Aemilius Paul of Macedon brought 100 trophy dogs to the capital for the parade on the occasion of the victory won in 168 BC. e. over the Macedonian king Perseus. They were led through the streets of Rome with Perseus in chains. True, the superbly organized Roman army did not really need additional weapons and at first used dogs only to cover the rear and provide communication (the fate of the "messengers" was unenviable: forcing the dog to swallow a report on parchment, upon arrival at the place they ripped open his stomach and took out a letter). Also Vegetius in his "Art of Martial" says that usually in the towers of fortresses they made dogs with a keen instinct lie, which, when the enemy approached, barked and warned the garrison. It happened that Rome did not fight, but dogs always fought. Their battles in the arena alone and against bulls, lions, elephants, bears and gladiators gathered masses of spectators. The famous column of Marcus Aurelius depicts dogs participating in the battle, but this phenomenon was very rare.

Rome appreciated all the power of the "dogs of the battlefield", fighting in Europe with the barbarians, who used live weapons much more actively. Often, dogs were dressed in special armor to make them less vulnerable to blows from melee weapons. Armor, as a rule, consisted of a metal or leather carapace covering the back and sides of the dog. In addition to armor, special collars with long spikes were worn on dogs. Dogs for which there was not enough armor were painted with various frightening patterns. Before the battle, the dogs were not fed - from this they became more vicious. In battle, packs of dogs were looked after by beaters. At their command, the dogs were released from the leashes and set on the enemy. The attack of the furious painted dogs produced a strong psychological impression. She caused panic among the enemy fighters. And the one who is afraid usually loses. So the Roman legions owed their "invincibility" to their four-legged "fighters" as well. Using dogs in the conquests of Gaul and Britain, the legionnaires encountered powerful resistance from the Celts who lived there, who had a large number of huge mastiffs who gave a fitting rebuff to the Roman Molossians. Celtic mastiffs with their front paws threw themselves on the shield of the legionnaire, knocking him to the ground - and then it was a matter of technology. The beasts were so good that the Romans even had a position as procurator cynogie for dogs from the British Isles. It is believed that the Celts brought these huge dogs with them from their ancestral homeland in Asia.

From the middle of the 1st millennium BC. That is, the Germans also appreciated the advantages of warlike dogs in numerous skirmishes, and actively used them in military clashes with the Roman army. Already in the description of the battle of Wercellus 101 BC. Gaius Marius testified that the Cimbri sent war dogs covered with armor on the army, and on their necks were collars with iron spikes. No wonder the ancient Germans had a dog worth 12 shillings, and a horse only 6. In the famous battle in the Teutoburg forest, it was with such fearless warriors of the Cherusci that Gaius Marius, who was already confident of victory, suddenly faced. And the victory, thanks to the fanged soldiers of the enemy, turned into defeat for the Romans. And the dogs besieged by the Romans managed to hold Wagenburg for two whole days.

Middle Ages and Modern Times

According to De Barre Duparc, in the battle of Murten and Gransen in 1476, a proper battle arose between the Swiss and Burgundy dogs, ending in the complete extermination of the Burgundians. In the battle of Valence, the French dogs running ahead as scouts attacked the Spanish dogs, a stubborn bloody battle ensued, but the Spanish dogs inflicted terrible damage on the scouts. Tradition says that Emperor Charles then shouted to his soldiers: "I hope that you will be as brave as your dogs!" Henry VIII of England sent an auxiliary army of 4,000 dogs to Emperor Charles V, and Philip V of Spain ordered to feed the numerous dogs that roamed around the fortresses, thus making them guard and patrolmen: at the slightest noise of the Austrian parties leaving Orbitella, the dogs raised barks ... During sorties, the dogs were always in front, opening enemy ambushes or pointing out the roads along which the enemy was retreating. With the advent of firearms, the meaning of "battlefield dogs" disappeared in the European wars, but they distinguished themselves in the conquest of America. For the Indians, who had never seen such monsters, the dogs of the Spanish conquistadors became a veritable fiend of hell. In the staffing table of Columbus's troops there were such units as "200 infantrymen, 20 cavalrymen and the same number of dogs." We are talking about the Spanish Alano Bulldogs. For the extermination of the aborigines, devout Europeans used whole detachments of these extremely dangerous beasts. Cattle breeders used them to pacify aggressive bulls of the El Toro Bravo breed, raised for bullfighting, and poisoned wild boars. The queue reached the people. Alano's powerful grip and tremendous strength do not prevent him from having a quick reaction, he is able to develop high speed at a short distance, to overcome a 2-meter barrier in a jump ("the mighty Alano holds stronger than three boars"). They were scrupulously trained for specific jobs. The dog grabbed the Indian by the hand, and if he obeyed, he took him prisoner, without causing harm, and at the slightest resistance, he gnawed. Alano worked so hard during the conquest of Mexico and Peru that the Spanish king awarded them life pensions. In La Vega (now the Dominican Republic), several thousand Indians were put to flight by a detachment of only 150 infantrymen, 30 horsemen and 20 dogs.

Later, Europeans used dogs to search for slaves who had escaped from plantations, training them on black leather mannequins filled with blood and entrails of animals, which then went to them for food. Chasing the negro, the dog saw the same dummy, and the fugitive had no chance of staying alive. And in Turkey, the service of fighting dogs ("sekban") in the Janissary corps was at its best. In 1778, during the siege of Dubnitsa, Turkish dogs put entire units of the Austrian army to flight!

The Spanish colonization of America was accompanied by the largest use of dogs against humans in history. They were weapons, instruments of psychological warfare and torture. Sometimes also a supply of food for an emergency.

Dogs have been used to kill people in war since the dawn of mankind, from the 8th century BC, in Assyria, Egypt and Babylon. Large mastiffs were used in the guard and garrison service, when guarding carts, in suppressing slave riots. Protected by a leather blanket from sliding blows, the animals could upset the ranks of the infantry with a swoop from the flank or pull a rider from the saddle.

War dogs fought in the army of Persia, guarded the borders of Rome, participated in the wars between Burgundy and the cantons of Switzerland. But they showed themselves most vividly during the capture of the New World by the Spaniards.

Dogs of the conquistador, chained in armor. Illustration. Source: vitake.net

Columbus's secret weapon

With them across the ocean, the conquistadors brought a pack of four-legged killers. In 1494, during the capture of the island of Haiti, Columbus had 200 infantrymen, 18 horsemen and two dozen dogs of the breed alano... They were trained to bait bulls and could wear armor.

In retaliation for the robbery and violence, the Indians, led by the leader Caonabo, burned the fort of La Navidad and laid siege to the fort of St. Thomas. Horses and dogs played the main role in the punitive operation of the Spaniards. Even the bravest of the local warriors were terrified of the armored cavalrymen and dogs - nothing like this had ever existed in their world.

In the Battle of the Royal Valley in 1495, two hundred Spaniards utterly defeated up to 2 thousand rebels. The massacre was completed by the Alano, who cruelly tormented the fleeing. Eyewitnesses wrote that each dog killed or maimed up to a hundred practically naked Indians.

Over the next hundred years, the dogs in Haiti multiplied, became feral, and began to hunt livestock. Soon, Spanish governors began to appoint.

Built in 1492 from the remains of the ship "Santa Maria", on which Columbus arrived in America.

Vasco Nunez de Balboa poisoning Indians with dogs, engraving by Theodore de Brie. Source: New York Public Library / Wikipedia

Finding Eldorado

The usual tactics of the Spaniards of that time: to bombard the enemy with volleys of arquebus, and in between reloading to polish it with crossbows. The survivors were finished off by swordsmen and halberdiers. The dogs attacked with cavalry on the flanks to prevent the Indian archers from targeting the horses. Primitive cotton armor was a weak defense against bone-crushing jaws.

“The Indians were terrified of these dogs, and if they knew that at least one dog was walking with the Spaniards, they lost all presence of mind. And the dogs, trained to fight and tear, became brave and vicious like tigers, ”wrote missionary Bernabe Cobo.

The Spaniards could not be afraid that, in the heat of battle, the pets would rush at their owners, as happened in Europe. The Indians were too different from them in their appearance and smell. The paints that the warriors applied to the body smelled especially harsh. This is why the dogs became doubly important in forays into the mountains and forests, where they could sniff out ambushes and follow the trail of fugitives.

In 1541, Gonzalo Pizarro went through the Andes to look for the legendary country of El Dorado, in which the conquistadors expected to find unprecedented reserves of gold. Two hundred Spaniards took with them 4 thousand allied Indians and almost a thousand dogs. Almost all of them froze in the mountains or were eaten later when the expedition ran out of food supplies. The surviving dogs tortured and killed the natives, finding out their way to the treasures.

After the conquest of America, the name of the execution appeared in Spanish apperear- tearing by dogs.

Cane Corso is a breed of dog bred in ancient Rome and is highly valued as a protector to this day. And not only in Italy, but all over the world. Nobody was specially involved in breeding Cane Corso. The breed turned out as if by itself. Thank you

Cane Corso is a breed of dog bred in ancient Rome and is highly valued as a protector to this day. And not only in Italy, but all over the world. Nobody was specially involved in breeding Cane Corso. The breed turned out as if by itself. Thanks to the cultivation of qualities in it that were especially appreciated by the Romans in dogs.

As a result, as we can see, Corso is an incredible cross between a Great Dane and a Bulldog. She is muscular, but at the same time very graceful and her legs are quite long. At the withers, the dog reaches 60-70 centimeters, and weighs around 45 kilograms. The overall impression is strength, in harmony with agility.

Cane Corso are considered balanced and calm. They are very attached to the owner. Firmly convinced that the meaning of their life is to protect the owner and his family. Therefore, in separation, they begin to yearn, which is very destructive to health and can even lead to death. In general, there is nothing better for Cane Corso than to sit quietly next to the owner. This dog is so quiet that, at times, you cannot see or hear it. Corso only reacts when there is a real threat.

The ancient Roman breed can give the impression of a phlegmatic nature, indifferent to life. But she is able to transform. Become impetuous and unstoppable. Corso shows its best qualities in work. In ancient Rome, the Cane Corso grazed herds, hunted wild boars, pulled teams, guarded and served as bodyguards. But later the breed began to degenerate and was already on the verge of extinction. And only thanks to the efforts of enthusiasts, the breed was able to revive in the 70s of the XX century.