{"id":3786,"date":"2015-04-29T23:35:37","date_gmt":"2015-04-29T23:35:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/?p=3786"},"modified":"2015-04-29T23:35:37","modified_gmt":"2015-04-29T23:35:37","slug":"5-animals-used-in-ancient-warfare","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/latin\/5-animals-used-in-ancient-warfare\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Animals used in Ancient Warfare"},"content":{"rendered":"

DISCLAIMER: Since this is a Latin blog, I have chosen only to focus on animals used in Roman battles or wars. Thus, I understand that some of these animals have older warfare uses, but the focus here is on Roman period uses.<\/p>\n

1. WAR ELEPHANT<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Roman<\/a>

Roman mosaic at Ostia Antica, Italy. Courtesy of WikiCommons &Marie-Lan Nguyen<\/p><\/div>\n

Animal<\/span>: North African Forest Elephant, Carthaginian Elephant, Atlas Elephants,\u00a0“Hannibal’s Elephants”<\/p>\n

Alive or Extinct<\/strong><\/span>: Extinct\u00a0from over-exploitation<\/p>\n

Year:<\/span> 218 B.C.E<\/p>\n

\"Hannibals<\/a>

Hannibals route to Italy. Courtesy of WikiCommons & Albalg.<\/p><\/div>\n

Battle or War:<\/span> Second Punic War at the Battle of Trebia.<\/p>\n

How was it used:<\/span> A war elephant was an elephant trained and guided by humans for combat. Their main use was to charge the enemy, breaking their ranks and instilling terror. Elephantry are military units with elephant-mounted troops.<\/p>\n

Sources:<\/span> Polybius & Livy (here<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Fun Facts:<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0The favorite, and perhaps last surviving elephant of Hannibal’s 218 B.C. crossing of the Alps was an impressive animal named Surus<\/i> (“the Syrian” or “One-Tusker”), and may have been of Syrian stock,\u00a0though the evidence remains ambiguous.<\/p>\n

\"Before<\/a>

Before crossing the Alps, Hannibal had to cross the Rhone River. Credit: War elephants depicted in Hannibal Barca crossing the Rh\u00f4ne, by Henri Motte, 1878. Courtesy of WikiCommons.<\/p><\/div>\n

Advantage<\/strong> or Disadvantage<\/span>: The elephants had such a difficult time crossing the Alps due to the terrain, cold winter weather, and the fact that roads had to be built for them to cross. This wasted a lot of time and resulted in the surviving elephants being quite famished. However,\u00a0the surviving elephants were successfully used in the battle of Trebia, where they panicked the Roman cavalry and Gallic allies.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\"The<\/a>

The Elephant Battery in Peshawar in 1880’s. Courtesy of WikiCommons.<\/p><\/div>\n

Last Used<\/span>: Although, the elephant that is being discussed is the North African Forest Elephant, I believe it is important to know in general how elephants were used within war or battle.<\/p>\n

In south-east Asia the use of elephants on the battlefield continued up until the end of the 19th century. One of the major difficulties in the region was terrain, and elephants could cross difficult terrain in many cases more easily than horse cavalry.<\/p>\n

\"During<\/a>

During World War I, elephants pulled heavy equipment. This one worked in a munitions yard in Sheffield. Courtesy of WikiCommons.<\/p><\/div>\n

Into the 20th century, non-battle-trained elephants were used for other military purposes as late as\u00a0World War II,particularly because the animals could perform tasks in regions that were problematic for modern vehicles.<\/p>\n

2. War Pigs<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Courtesy<\/a>

Courtesy of Mental Floss.<\/p><\/div>\n

Animal:\u00a0<\/span> The pig or boar<\/p>\n

Alive<\/strong> or Extinct:<\/span> There is no certainty as to the species of pig or boar, so in general pigs\/boars are still in existence.<\/p>\n

Year:<\/span> 275 B.C.E<\/p>\n

\"Pyrrhus<\/a>

Pyrrhus and his elephants. Courtesy of WikiCommons and Helene Guerber.<\/p><\/div>\n

Battle or War<\/strong><\/span>:<\/strong>\u00a0 Pyrrhic War<\/p>\n

How was it used:\u00a0<\/span>War pigs are pigs reported to have been used in ancient warfare, mostly as a countermeasure against war elephants. Ancient historians\u00a0confirm that elephants were frightened by squealing pigs (and rams with horns), and reported that the Romans exploited squealing pigs (and rams) to repel the war elephants at Pyrrhus.<\/p>\n

Sources:<\/span> Pliny the Elder (“Natural History” 8.9.27),\u00a0Aelian, (“On Animals” 1.38), \u00a0 Lucretius(\u00a0De Rerum Natura<\/i> 5.1298-134)<\/span><\/p>\n

Fun Facts:<\/span>\u00a0Historical accounts of incendiary pigs or flaming pigs were recorded by the military writer Polyaenus\u00a0and by Aelian. (Note: The following video shows Rome Total War custom battle between War Elephants and War Pigs. While, it is not historically accurate. It is a bit a fun.)<\/p>\n