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Dogs in Greek/Roman culture?
#1
I tried the search function but I didn't find much directly on this subject. What was the role of man's best friend in ancient culture? I have heard that they were very important to farmers, but not from primary sources. The extent that I know of dogs is that Hades was a dog lover(see Cerberus) in their mythology, and the Romans bred certain breeds for war, but feel free to correct/enlighten me.
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#2
This may be evidence of dogs as pets:

http://edh-www.adw.uni-heidelberg.de/edh/foto/F023655
Michael King Macdona

And do as adversaries do in law, -
Strive mightily, but eat and drink as friends.
(The Taming of the Shrew: Act 1, Scene 2)
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#3
They had various types of hunting dogs, hounds from Britain were particularly prized, and formed a well-known British export. Molossian hounds from Epirus were also prized. The 'cave canem' (beware of the dog) mosaic in the entrance to the 'House of the Tragic Poet' in Pompeii suggests that the role of domestic watchdog existed. Literary descriptions also suggest that small 'lap-dogs' were kept as household pets. Shepherds routinely kept dogs as guards against wolves.
Martin

Fac me cocleario vomere!
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#4
It's recorded that hunting dogs from Ireland were prized too.
There are also numerous tombstones to pet dogs.

(Beware the 'war dogs' idea - it seems to be much mentioned in Rome: Total War and other games, and is commonly bandied about by Rottweiler breeders etc, but I have yet to see one single mention of such dogs in the ancient texts...)
Ben Kane, bestselling author of the Eagles of Rome, Spartacus and Hannibal novels.

Eagles in the Storm released in UK on March 23, 2017.
Aguilas en la tormenta saldra en 2017.


www.benkane.net
Twitter: @benkaneauthor
Facebook: facebook.com/benkanebooks
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#5
Puppies, usually black, were sacrificed to Hecate.
Martin

Fac me cocleario vomere!
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#6
I don't know much about ancient canes myself, but I know that Molossian mastiffs were enormous dogs that were popular for warfare, home defense, etc. They're extinct now, but their descendants include most large dogs today, such as St. Bernards and modern mastiffs. Hope that helps, Amice!
HONOR VICTORIAQVE TECVM

John F.
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#7
Thought this might interest, its not Roman but Egyptian however the dating does bring it up to 30bc... an enormous number of mummified dogs were interred...

http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/share/research/...nubis.html

And a recent article:

http://journals.cambridge.org/action/dis...8X14000532
Ivor

"And the four bare walls stand on the seashore. a wreck a skeleton a monument of that instability and vicissitude to which all things human are subject. Not a dwelling within sight, and the farm labourer, and curious traveller, are the only persons that ever visit the scene where once so many thousands were congregated." T.Lewin 1867
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