Transcript 0:00 Dogs were the first animal to be domesticated. 0:04 Over their millennia of coexistence with humans, selective breeding for various physical and 0:09 behavioral traits has created a dazzling range of canine types, which have been formalized 0:15 over the past century and a half into hundreds of breeds. 0:20 Roman dogs also came in many varieties. 0:24 This is visible even in the paw prints that they made on drying roof tiles, which range 0:29 from the delicate tracks of lapdogs to craters punched by loping mastiffs. 0:35 Careful study of the canine bones found at Vindolanda in northern England has revealed 0:40 dogs from the size of Miniature Poodles to the size of Great Pyrenees. 0:46 Although dogs have been selectively bred for thousands of years, it was only in the last 0:51 century and a half, with the appearance of kennel clubs and pedigree registries, that 0:56 clear breed standards were established. 0:58 In the classical world, there were no such standards. 1:02 A dog was what it did: it was a sheep dog or a guard dog or whatever else, and its appearance 1:10 was more or less irrelevant. 1:13 But since wealthy Greeks and Romans could be very particular about the dogs they used 1:18 for hunting and kept as pets, a few varieties that we might call proto-breeds emerged. 1:24 We’ll investigate these after a few words about our sponsor. [sponsor transcript redacted] 2:42 Back to the proto-dog breeds of the Roman Empire. 2:46 The largest classical variety was the Molossian hound, a deep-chested mastiff with a broad 2:51 muzzle, pointed ears, and a ruff of fur around the neck. 2:57 Molossians were originally bred to hunt boars, and continued to be the default big-game dog 3:02 throughout antiquity. 3:04 Molossians even appeared in the Colosseum, where they chased exotic animals and unfortunate 3:09 criminals. 3:11 More prosaically, they were used to guard homes, and even to pull small carts. 3:17 One of the more eccentric emperors is said to have harnessed four huge Molossians to 3:22 a chariot when he wanted to drive around the grounds of his estates. 3:26 The Classical world’s most famous mid-size variety was the slim and swift Laconian hound, 3:32 which ran down deer and hares. 3:35 Over the course of the Roman era, however, it was replaced by the equally slim and ever 3:41 swifter vertragus, which resembled the modern greyhound. 3:44 The vertragus also a favorite pet: the historian Arrian had one that lay beside him as he wrote 3:51 and walked with him to the gymnasium every day. 3:54 The best-known small variety was the Maltese dog, a stub-legged and fluffy-coated creature 4:01 whose most useful quality was being able to fit in a handbag. 4:06 To judge from ancient representations, it was about the size, shape, and volume of a 4:13 Pomeranian. 4:15 Many wealthy Roman families kept a Maltese dog or three. 4:19 They became the Roman equivalent of purse dogs. 4:24 Elite ladies carried them about in the folds of their cloaks and named them things like 4:30 Smidgen and Pearl. 4:32 Often, they were outrageously spoiled: a Roman poet describes how one doting owner commissioned 4:40 a portrait of a lapdog named Missy. 4:43 Especially favored lap dogs might be buried beside their owners. 4:47 In the Antalya Museum, for example, is a miniature sarcophagus inscribed with three Greek epigrams, 4:55 one of which reads: Rhodope shed tears when I perished, and buried me like a human. 5:00 I am the dog Stephanos; Rhodope set up a tomb for me. 5:05 Rhodope, of course, was the name of the dog’s owner. 5:10 Molossians, Laconians, and Maltese were only the most famous and widespread of the classical 5:16 varieties. 5:18 Ancient sources mention dozens more, most apparently confined to a single region. 5:24 None of these varieties, as far as we can tell, has a close relationship with any modern 5:30 breed. 5:31 But their existence reflects the fact that, even two thousand years ago, man’s best 5:35 friend came in many shapes and sizes. 5:39 If you enjoyed this video, please consider supporting toldinstone on Patreon. 5:44 You might also enjoy my book, Naked Statues, Fat Gladiators, and War Elephants. 5:50 Thanks for watching.
“Careful study of the canine...”
That’s “dogs” to the lay person.
I bet he likes gladiator movies.................