Dogs on the battlefield
Ancient Egyptians were the first to use dogs on the battlefield. Those proved to be so effective that managed themselves during one of the battles between rebellious slaves and the royal army possessing those dogs.
However, they proved to be too expensive in breeding to be a real military force – so training ceased.
Dogs were also used by ancient Greeks – mainly for hunting and guarding. Often mastiffs, whose breeding came from Persia, were used as defense dogs.
Dogs again on the battlefields began to be used by the Romans. What’s more, the hounds also delivered messages to a more distant place.
Sources
- Rebecca Stefoff, Dogs
- McKeown J. C., A Cabinet of Roman Curiosities: Strange Tales and Surprising Facts from the World's Greatest Empire, 2010
