Animals in Antiquity: The Mythology and Roles of Different Animals in Ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome

To the ancient Egyptians, the gods and goddesses were all around them and could be seen daily in nature. Nearly every animal found in ancient Egypt, both domestic and wild, were associated with a god or goddess, which can be seen in Egyptian art where deities are often depicted with human bodies and animal heads. Or sometimes the deities are portrayed as complete animals. Since deities were associated with certain animals, all animals of a specific species were given divine and protected status.

Animals were constantly involved in the core elements of Greek society and cults, and this centrality could be found in the numerous depictions of animals on coins and vases throughout the Greek colonies. Game and fish were plentiful, along with deer, wolves, boar, lynx, and even bears. Similarly, there were numerous jackals and porcupines. There were, however, a few significant species that would have been found in the wild in Classical times, such as the agrimis (or Cretan goat) and the lion, that have either become totally extinct or virtually extinct in the modern-day region. Lions, in particular, often feature in Greek literature, and both Herodotus and Aristotle described lions in northern Greece. The presence of lions in Greece seems further confirmed by their numerous portrayals in Mycenaean art and tales of lions in Homer.

Rome's complex relationship with animals goes right back to its foundation myth, and even today, the wolf remains a symbol of the Eternal City, forming part of the logo for the capital's football team, A.S. Roma. According to tradition, the city of Rome was founded by Romulus, who, with his brother Remus, was nursed and sheltered by a she-wolf. That tale, widely believed as a historical fact by ancient Romans, had a profound influence on Roman culture, and in part that shaped Roman attitudes toward their animals.

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