Fighting dogs in history. History of the use of dogs in military affairs. In the battle formations of the legions

We continue publishing chapters of the book by Konstantin Karapetyants about the history of cynology. Today we will talk about the development of this discipline in ancient times.

“As you remember, having met a dog, a person immediately appreciated its acute sense of smell, keen hearing, endurance, unpretentiousness, strength, devotion to the owner and other, no less useful, qualities. In turn, the dog became the most devoted animal to man, his best friend and assistant.

So, time passed, and man no longer lived by hunting alone; agriculture and cattle breeding began to develop. Dogs learned not only to catch, but also to herd ungulates, began to protect livestock from predators and thieves, and take care of a person’s home.

Historians claim that our distant ancestors widely and with great benefit used dogs in various types of its activities. And many peoples elevated dogs to the rank of sacred animals. This happened in Ancient Greece, India, Iran, Mexico, Mesopotamia and some other countries.

For example, in Ancient Egypt They built a special city, Kinopolis (city of dogs), in honor of dogs. If one of the inhabitants of other cities killed a dog from Kinopolis, the city residents considered this a sufficient reason to declare war.

And yet, first of all, the value of a dog was determined by its presence of the necessary working qualities. These included the animal’s ability to protect the owner, protect housing, defeat the enemy, search for a criminal, etc. The dog played a large role in military affairs and in the fight against crime. Didn't bypass them either military service: some people taught dogs to kill other people.

Studying historical documents allows us to conclude that dogs began to be used in warfare over six thousand years ago. They were used for guard and guard duty, and also as fighting animals.

The fighting dogs were terrible weapon. To believe this, just look at the surviving images of these dogs. Unfortunately, dogs played this role for a very long time, and sometimes even today they are used as a means of attack - can we blame the dogs for that?

These are, of course, dark pages in the history of relations between people and dogs. But is it the dogs' fault? They only did what people taught them.

But “... no matter how hard a person tries to teach dogs to exterminate people,” wrote the French naturalist Henri Mangin in the middle of the last century, “he will never achieve the point that this animal becomes the same corrupted creature as himself ".

It sounds, of course, naive, but in essence it is correct. After all, a dog is noble in its essence. And everything else is just a deviation!

In particular, historical literature describes examples of dogs guarding fortresses, army camps, palaces, monasteries and the homes of wealthy people. Dogs were used for such purposes in many countries of Eurasia, Africa and America.

Expanding the scope of use of dogs in military field(as in hunting, in other types of human activity), entailed not only the emergence of new breeds, but also the creation of a system of their training, capable of ensuring reliable training of dogs for a specific type of service.

One of the oldest textbooks on the training and use of dogs known to historians is the canine treatise “Hunting,” written more than 2,300 years ago by the military leader and philosopher Xenophon from Athens. Somewhat later, the first “atlas” of dog breeds appeared, compiled by the ancient Greek historian Arrian as an appendix to his famous work “On Hunting”.

Thus, already in those distant times, our ancestors had significant theoretical and practical knowledge in the selection of dogs, their training and use. Therefore it is not surprising that military history knows many facts when the skillful use of fighting dogs had a decisive impact on the outcome of a battle or on the specific result of a military operation.

In order for the dog to be able to defeat an armed man, its body was protected with a special shell, and a collar with spikes was put on its neck. And in India, during military operations, burning torches were attached to the backs of dogs. And, of course, for combat they selected and trained animals with large mass (up to 100 kg), strength, powerful jaws, high aggressiveness and fearlessness.

Many scientists and historians who study the evolution of dogs are inclined to believe that humans first began to engage in animal selection when breeding new breeds of canines. According to scientists, in Ancient Egypt there were 13-15 breeds of dogs, among which were animals specifically designed to solve military problems.

In Assyria, dogs began to be used as fighting dogs over 2,500 years ago, while Great Danes were used, which differed from other breeds in their size, strength, viciousness and powerful jaws. It is also known that similar fighting dogs were used by the Chaldeans (in the 9th century BC) during the invasion of Southern Mesopotamia.

Many famous military leaders of antiquity strengthened the battle formations of their troops with specially trained dogs. Thus, the Persian king Cambyses, during the conquest of Egypt in 525 BC, used huge mastiffs, whose weight reached 80-100 kg, against the enemy.

These huge dogs performed similar tasks in Greece, where they arrived around the 5th century. BC e. as spoils of war as a result of the defeat of the Persian army, led by King Xerxes. At the same time, the Greeks used dogs not only as fighting dogs, but also for reconnaissance, fighting spies, and performing guard duty.

In 386 BC. e. The Spartan king Agesilaus, having besieged Mantinea, released his dogs to guard the approaches to the camp and the city, thereby preventing the defenders from receiving outside help. There were specially trained fighting dogs in the army of Alexander the Great. These and other evidence have been repeatedly confirmed by archaeological finds.

In the armies Ancient Rome During battles, very original living “weapons” were often used. We are talking about the famous fighting dogs of the Roman legions. The tasks of these animals did not include delivering reports or carrying out the wounded. No, these were military dogs specially trained to kill...

The first evidence of the use of dogs in warfare dates back to the times of the Ancient One. The ancient Persians were also familiar with this type of “weapon”: in the troops of Xerxes, advanced against the rebellious Greek city-states, there were many fighting dogs. It was thanks to the invasion of Xerxes that the Greeks became acquainted with these animals. The Greeks began to purposefully breed them. The main “cynological center” of Hellas was the region of Molossia. This is where the names came from - Molosser Dog and Molosser. This is what the best fighting dogs were called.

Raising Killers

During the wars between Rome and the Greek states, these dogs came to Rome. They were first brought to the Apennines by the Epirus king Pyrrhus. Consul Aemilius Paulus sent a hundred war dogs to Rome to take part in the triumphal procession on the occasion of the victory over the Macedonian king Perseus. War dogs were paraded through the streets of Rome as spoils of war. Over time, the Romans brought the training of war dogs to perfection.

Animals were trained to fight the enemy from puppyhood. The assistant teacher, dressed in a special cape made of thick skin, teased the dog, driving it crazy. When the teacher let the dog off the leash, it rushed at the “tease” and sank its teeth into it. At this time, the assistant tried to expose vulnerable parts of the dog’s body (focusing on the warrior in armor). This is how the dogs developed the habit of grabbing the enemy at certain, most vulnerable places.

During the same period, dogs were taught skills such as chasing a running person and working with a lying person. The people who teased the dogs were often changed in order to instill in the dog anger towards all two-legged animals, and not towards a specific person. As a result, after such training, the “output” was a perfect four-legged “killing machine.”

The entire system of training four-legged fighters was aimed at ensuring that, having grabbed onto the enemy, the dog would fight with him until he wins or dies in a duel. It was extremely difficult to tear off or hit a heavy, physically very strong and specially trained dog to kill a person.

Armored

Dogs were used especially successfully against the Germans. They knew almost no armor and often fought half-naked, which made them easy prey for angry dogs! For example, war dogs helped the legions of Gaius Marius defeat the Cimbri in the fateful Battle of Vercellae in 101 BC.

Often dogs were dressed in special armor to make them less vulnerable to blows from bladed weapons. The armor, as a rule, consisted of a metal or leather shell that covered the back and sides of the dog. In addition to armor, dogs were wearing special collars with long spikes.

Dogs for which there was not enough armor were painted with various terrifying patterns. Before the battle, the dogs were not fed - this made them more vicious. In battle, packs of dogs were looked after by beaters. At their command, the dogs were released from their leashes and set on the enemy. The attack of the furious painted dogs made a strong psychological impression. She caused panic among enemy fighters. And the one who is afraid, as a rule, loses. So the Roman legions owed their “invincibility”, among other things, to their four-legged “fighters”...

Special camps for training suicide bombers are not the invention of 20th-century Palestinians or the Taliban. Many centuries ago, a dark period began...

The Spanish colonization of America was accompanied by the largest use of dogs against people in history. They were weapons, instruments of psychological warfare and torture. Sometimes also a supply of food for an emergency.

The use of dogs to kill people in war began at the dawn of mankind, from the 8th century BC, in Assyria, Egypt and Babylon. Large mastiffs were used in guard and garrison service, in guarding convoys, and in suppressing slave riots. Protected by a leather blanket from glancing blows, the animals could disrupt the ranks of infantrymen with a swoop from the flank or pull a rider from the saddle.

War dogs fought in the army of Persia, guarded the borders of Rome, and took part in wars between Burgundy and the cantons of Switzerland. But they showed themselves most clearly during the Spanish capture of the New World.

Conquistador's dogs, clad in armor. Illustration. Source: vitake.net

Columbus's secret weapon

The conquistadors brought with them across the ocean a pack of four-legged killers. In 1494, during the capture of the island of Haiti, Columbus had 200 infantry, 18 horsemen and two dozen dogs of the breed Alano. They were trained in bull baiting and could wear armor.

In retaliation for the robbery and violence, the Indians, led by Chief Caonabo, burned Fort La Navidad and besieged Fort St. Thomas. Main role Horses and dogs played a role in the Spaniards' punitive operation. Even the bravest of the local warriors were terrified of armored cavalrymen and dogs - nothing like this had ever existed in their world before.

At the Battle of the Royal Valley in 1495, two hundred Spaniards utterly defeated up to 2 thousand rebels. The massacre was completed by the Alans, who cruelly tormented the fleeing people. Eyewitnesses wrote that each dog killed or maimed up to a hundred practically naked Indians.

Over the next hundred years, dogs in Haiti multiplied, went wild, and began to hunt livestock. Soon Spanish governors began to be appointed.

Built in 1492 from the remains of the Santa Maria, on which Columbus arrived in America.

Vasco Nunez de Balboa poisoning the Indians with dogs, engraving by Theodore de Bry. Source: New York Public Library / Wikipedia

In search of Eldorado

The usual tactics of the Spaniards of that time: bombard the enemy with volleys of arquebuses, and in between reloads polish them with crossbows. The survivors were finished off by swordsmen and halberdiers. The dogs attacked with the cavalry on the flanks to prevent the Indian archers from taking aim at the horses. Primitive cotton armor offered little protection against jaws that crushed bones.

“The Indians were terrified of these dogs, and if they knew that even one dog was going with the Spaniards, they lost all presence of mind. And the dogs, trained to fight and tear apart, became brave and vicious, like tigers,” wrote missionary Bernabe Cobo.

The Spaniards did not have to be afraid that in the heat of battle, pets would rush at their owners, as happened in Europe. The Indians were too different from them in appearance and smell. The smell of the paints that the warriors applied to the body was especially strong. That is why dogs became doubly important during forays into mountains and forests, where they could sniff out ambushes and follow the trail of fugitives.

In 1541, Gonzalo Pizarro set off across the Andes to look for the legendary country of Eldorado, where the conquistadors expected to find unprecedented reserves of gold. Two hundred Spaniards took with them 4 thousand allied Indians and almost a thousand dogs. Almost all of them froze in the mountains or were eaten later when the expedition ran out of food supplies. The surviving dogs tortured and killed the aborigines, finding out from them the way to the treasures.

After the conquest of America Spanish the name of the execution appeared apperear- tearing by dogs.

History of the breed

Official ancestors of Corso (Cane Corso) considered to be ancient Roman war dogs, the Molossians of Epirus and Canis Pugnax from Rome, which were used for military purposes and for gladiatorial fights.

Aristotle (384 BC) called these tall, strong, playful and vicious dogs a cross between a lion and a dog.

Under Emperor Claudius, with the aim of subjugating Britain to the Roman Empire, in 43 AD. e. the Romans captured southern regions islands and, having founded their settlements there, made them a province of the Roman Empire. This moment can be considered the starting point for the emergence of new types of dogs, which were based on the “genetic core” of Molossian dogs.

Until the 4th century, wars of conquest were waged on the territory of Britain by the Romans and other tribes that had dogs and contributed to their widespread distribution in Britain: the Romans - the ancient Roman (Molossian) dog, the Celts and the Gauls, according to Martiallus, who lived in the 1st century AD, Gallic and Celtic beast dogs, and Gracius Faliscus, a contemporary of Martiallus, noted British greyhounds and bulldog-like dogs. By the beginning of the Middle Ages in Britain there were many types of dogs, which y in means was influenced to a large extent by the population of Molossian dogs cultivated by the Romans in their settlements in southern Britain, resulting in almost naturally on certain territory(island) the formation of the Roman Molossian takes place.

At the beginning of the 5th century, the Romans could not provide security for Britain. ANDthe empire was exhausted in the fight against the Franks, Germans, Goths and other tribes. ForItaly needed every soldier to protect itself, and the remnants of the Roman legions left the island, taking their favorites with them.

The Corso breed was first mentioned by Teofilo Folengo (1491-1544), whory in general outline describes the dog in mortal combat with a bear or a lion, a wounded hunter, where she is interestingly contrasted (“canes inter seu corsos sive molossus” (Latin) - “a dog, either a corso or a molosso”). As can be seen from the description, we're talking about O different breeds dogs.

Many scientistsThey say that Cane Corso was represented by two types: one – heavy, from which happened recently regular Neapolitan Mastino (Roman Molosser), and another, lighter and faster - the ancestor of the Cane Corso. This statement is based on the fact that there is a noticeable difference between the dogs depicted inEtruscan and Romanesque period.

If everything is more and less clear with the first type of dog (Roman Molosser), then the second type, like the Etruscan era itself, is coveredIt is full of many mysteries and secrets.

In the 7th century BC. e. the peoples who inhabited Etruria (the territory of modern Italy and the island of Corsica) took possession of the um ness. Since they wrote in the Etruscan language, it is customary to call the people inhabiting this territory Etruscans. However, there is no exact evidence proving the origin of the Etruscans. According to one version, these people migrated from the Eastern Mediterranean.

For the second millenniumBC e. characterized by the greatness and fall of the most ancient states, such as Babylon, Assyria, Egypt, India, etc., as well asrapid movement of peoples.

American historian Will Durant notes that “The Etruscans are an extremely interesting historical mystery. They ruled Rome for a hundred years (or more). However, Roman literature is laconic in its reports about the Etruscans...” The Etruscans inhabited the north-west of the Apennine Peninsula from the first millennium BC. e. and created an advanced civilization. In the literature there are references to Etruscan dogs, which delighted the Romans with their power and menacing appearance. Perhaps the origin of Etruscan dogs comes from the Assyrians, since most historians consider the Etruscans to come from Asia Minor. The Assyrians and Babylonians provided breeding material to the Etruscans and other peoples, which, apparently, was used in the formation of the Molossian group of dogs in the territory of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.

At the end of the 6th and beginning of the 5th century BC. e. there was a clash of interests between the Etruscans and the Greeks. Around 535 BC e. The Etruscans, allied with Carthage, entered into battle with the Phocians. They won by a small margin, but Sardinia remained in the hands of the Carthaginians, and the Etruscans founded a colony in Corsica. Later, while on the island, Etruscan dogs retrained for peaceful professions. They guarded homes and helped cattle traders move their herds.

After the loss of independence, Etruria retained its identity for some time. In the II-I centuries BC. e. Local art and customs continued to exist. For a long time, it was accepted among the Etruscans that if a dog lived in the family of a noble person, then it itself was considered a noble beast. When talking about dogs, it was necessary to add where the dog came from, and only then did it become clear what kind of dog it was and what it was good for. Good dog was considered an expensive gift for people of high position.

Shortly before the start of the Punic War, in 283, as a result of conquests, the island of Corsica became a Roman colony.

In the 5th century the Roman legionsry left Britain accompanied by powerful and strong dogs(Molossians), without whom the marching life of warriors was then unthinkable. These dogs were hardy and efficient. They took part in battles, guarded camps at camps, and helped drive herds of cattle that served as food for the warriors. The history of the Roman army is not only the history of battles and wars. Roman emperors provided their legionnaires with the opportunity to live comfortably in old age. After retirement, legionnaires received the right to acquire land in the border provinces, on which they could farm, taking their favorites with them. The settlements of veteran legionnaires are a very important factor in the life of this time in the province. They were deliberately resettled in order to dilute the local population with loyal Roman citizens.

Apparently, the formation of dogs in the Corsican colony of the Roman Empire took place in the same way as in Britain, in which both dogs brought to Corsica by the Etruscans and dogs of veteran legionnaires took part. This breed preserves the memory of the greatest civilizations of the past. She saw the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, witnessed the Middle Ages and modern times.

The Cane Corso has been developed over centuries using natural selection in close connection with environment and the role assigned to it by man. These were difficult times, in which the successful survival of the breed depended solely on the ability of its representatives to perform hard work, and the choice of a person - which animals to leave for the tribe - was determined solely by economic necessity. No excesses were allowed, and the value of the animal was determined only by the service it performed and the benefit it brought.

Crossing mastiffs with lighter dogs, suitable for both hunting and accompanying livestock, became increasingly common. Apparently, from this series of crossings the first ancestors of the Cane Corso appeared - a breed of dog that could be used for various needs, and for this was especially valued by the inhabitants of those medieval villages and fortresses.

Since 476 AD, when inFollowing the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the beginning of the Middle Ages began, the period of decline beganbottom of historical information.

The formation and strengthening of feudal estates takes place, which later became the local seigneury, a class of aristocrats who, from the 9th century, began to acquire enormous power.

Against the backdrop of dismemberment territorial integrity on the Italian peninsula there is a further improvement in the breed of dogs - descendants of distant Italian Molossers, acquiring characteristics that, although homogeneous, are quite different depending on the purpose of the bred animal Wow.

The fall of the central government, which at least to some extent could guarantee a minimum By conditions, has made it even more urgent to have dogs that can protect the owner property and villages from the invasions of robbers.

The origin of the name of the breed “Cane Corso” is shrouded in mystery. There is a theory that it originated, or at least spread, in Corsica. However, the only written reference dates back to 1551, when Conrad Gessner in his work “De quadrupedis” describes dogs with the same characteristics as the Cane Corso under the name “Canum ex Corsica”, that is, the Corsican dog. Island of Corsica (French, Corse).

(Considering that the evidence use of surnames in Italy traceable to XII века!} are determinedtoponymic nicknames i.e. geographical, h Thatwas probably done in order to distinguish different people with the same name. For example, in the history of Italian medieval art Giunta Pisano and Giovanni Pisano does not mean that they were relatives, but only that they were both from the city of Pisa. then this assumption deserves attention).

There is an opinion according towhose name comes from the Greek “Kortos”, that is, yard, fence.Others claim that “Corso” comes from the Latin word “Cohors”, which means both court and Coorte Pretoria, that is, the guard service. That is, a yard dog or a protection dog, in other words, “belonging to the fence, yard.”

It was also hypothesized that this term should be attributed to the French “Corps”, since it is known that until the 18th century there were Great Danes, called indoor dogs, who protected the peace of their owners, always being close to them, even in the bedroom, and dogs another breed, called “da corps”, since their task was to engage in brutal one-on-one combat (corpo a corpo)with a wild boar after the animal is already surrounded by fleet-footed greyhounds.

The first reliable mention of the breed dates back to around 1238, when A-ari with tokr of the atic genus “de’ Corsi”, a coat of arms was established on which the image of a dog appears, without a doubt - a Corso. The coat of arms was considered a symbol of courage and ability to fight - proof that already in those days this breed was defined and its moral characteristics were legendary And.

By the Middle Ages fromthere are other traces of the presence of these dogs in various chn s x parts of Italy, confirming that they were distributed throughout the country.

Guard, protector, hunter, livestock guide, butcher's assistant, cattle guard in the pasture, capable of carrying small loads, guide for the walking sick - all this and much more has been performed by the Cane Corso over the centuries and in all the functions in which it was used, it has shown yourself as a valuable assistant and a wonderful friend.

Numerous wordseating Cane Corso in the South of Italy. Just as an example, let us cite one document published inrno in early XVIII century by the authorities of Bitetto from the outskirts of Bari, which prohibits the import of Cane Corso dogs into the local territory. Another little-known historical reference is that in 1993 the book “The Neapolitan Grimace” was published, in which, from much earlier texts compiled in an archaic language, a message is given that the Cane Corso is assigned number 65 in the Lottery.

Images of the Corsa dog are immortalized on the canvases of the German artist Philipp Hackert, who worked at the court of King Ferdinand IV (XVIII century), as well as in engravings by ItalianIanza Bartolo Pinelli (1781-1835), the famous Roman engraver who kept these dogs.

After World War II, due to dramatically changed economic and social conditions, the Cane Corso population declined sharply and was close to extinction.

By the 70s of the 20th century,orso preserved in remote areas southern Italy only in single copies. In 1973, Professor Bonatti managed to convince a number of reputable Italian scientists, who together created the Society of Cane Corso Fanciers (SACC). The originators of this work were Professor Fernando Casalino, Dr. Stefano Gandolfi, Gianantonio Sereni, Giancarlo and Luciano Malavasi. Later, Antonio Morciane compiled a detailed breed standard, adopted in 1984 by the National Association of Italian Cynologists (NOIC) as a temporary standard. In 1984, the NOIK organized the first show of dogs bred in Mantua. Danlo Mainardi, a famous ethologist, wrote: “The breed has been saved. The Corsa dog has a future.”

Cane Corso puppies can be purchased in our nursery.

War dogs– were used in battles between armies of antiquity and the Middle Ages for the purpose of directly killing enemy soldiers. The first evidence of such use in military conflicts dates back to the reign of Tutankhamun in Egypt (1333-1323 BC). An image of the battle led by the pharaoh has been preserved, in which dogs and enemy troops attack next to his chariot. Similar breeds dogs are also depicted in numerous hunting scenes of royal Egypt. It is likely that dogs were used in wars for some time in the Nile Valley, but this probably did not last long and eventually ceased.

Mesopotamia

It has already been proven that the ancestors of most modern Great Danes/Mastiffs were Tibetan Mastiffs. They were used for military purposes and were considered a noble breed since ancient times. From Central Asia first to Iran, and from there, through Mesopotamia and Western Asia, this breed spread throughout Eurasia from the middle of the 2nd millennium BC. e., that is, with the beginning of the Aryan conquest of the Punjab and the Indus Valley. In India, during the fighting, torches were attached to the backs of these dogs, which blazed, and they terrified opponents during battles with their fire and their ferocity. The oldest image The Tibetan mastiff in Mesopotamia dates back to the 12th century BC. e., where it is used when hunting lions. The fighting qualities of the breed, obviously, were quickly appreciated by the then rulers of the states of Babylonia: for military needs, they began to raise special breeds of dogs with a fairly large mass, which often reached 100 kg, extraordinary strength, strong jaws, increased aggressiveness and courage.

Special teachers were involved in training fighting dogs. It is known from cuneiform tablets that residents of the provinces of Nineveh and Nimrod, who raised fighting dogs, were exempt from taxes to the treasury, that is, already in the first half of the first millennium BC. That is, the Assyrians were specialists in this industry. Pupils for further training were selected when they were still puppies. Before the battle, the dogs were dressed in weapons specially made for them. They usually consisted of a metal or leather shell that covered the back and sides of the dogs, or chain mail. Sometimes they were given a metal helmet. The armor was often armed with long spikes or double-edged blades on the helmet and collar. With their help, the dog in battle cut the legs, arms and body of the warrior he attacked, wounded the tendons of the legs and ripped open the bellies of horses in collisions with cavalry.

Assyria

It seems that it was the Assyrians who were the first to use war dogs as an independent military force. Wide strong chests, powerful thick paws and a huge mouth with sharp fangs - such significant features clearly distinguished Assyrian fighting dogs of other breeds. Egyptian papyri indicate that such a dog could easily bite the leg of a cavalry horse and cause panic among the riders. While military science did not know the combat formation - the warriors gathered in battle in weakly armed and poorly organized crowds, while the leaders and nobles fought standing on war chariots. In the Assyrian army at the beginning of the 1st millennium BC. That is, war dogs served as a combat detachment: an avalanche of dogs in armor and chain mail rolled onto the enemy ahead of their own troops, advancing, spreading panic and horror on the enemy. It is interesting that the “dog handlers” warriors were always accompanied by priests who, according to ancient sources, had a telepathic connection with their dogs. This was necessary if the animals got out of control during the battle, or they were attacked by battle rabies (which was not uncommon during prolonged bloody clashes). Usually, the Assyrians' war dogs went on the attack together with a war chariot, and sometimes together with well-trained cheetahs. One chariot was accompanied by two or three dogs. In battle, whole flocks of them quickly rushed into the battle ranks of the enemies, causing confusion among them, injuring and maiming soldiers and horses. In skillful hands they were a terrible weapon and brought victory to the commander.

Aboriginal dogs

Subsequently, military dog ​​breeding was adopted from Assyria to Urartu and other neighboring states and tribes. In the 8th century BC. That is, first the Cimmerians, and then the Scythians, who were an active military force in the region for more than a century, burst into Transcaucasia, and then into Mesopotamia. It was these nomadic tribes who introduced European world with the dogs of war. Thanks to the Scythians, these breeds spread to the Black Sea region, and from there to Central and Western Europe. The golden bowl from the Solokha mound characteristically shows us a scene of the Scythians hunting a lion together with dogs. Subsequently, the fighting qualities of these dog breeds were appreciated by the Persians, who also used them for military purposes. So, during the conquest of Egypt in 525 BC. King Cambyses used heavy (according to sources - up to 80-100 kg!) mastiffs. After Xerxes' defeats in the wars with the Greeks, this breed passed to the inhabitants of Hellas as a trophy. The ancient Greeks, before meeting the “barbarians of Pontus Euxine” and the Persians, did not use dogs in wars - their art of fighting in phalanxes did not particularly allow the use of mobile units. However, after the Greco-Persian wars, a breed spread among them, which later received the name “Molossians”. Subsequently, the Hellenes used them in reconnaissance, to fight spies, as sentries. Molossians and Mastiffs - diverse groups of strong, large dogs - later spread to Etruria and the Roman Empire. It is their researchers for a long time considered the native dogs of this part of the world. They have proven themselves well as guards of garrisons, people and during hunts. All officials and military leaders kept four-legged pets of this particular breed.

Greece

Having defeated the Asian aggressor and received his dogs as a trophy, the Greeks began to train them themselves. In the 4th century BC. e. in the region of Molossia (Greece) a core of breeding material was formed, and the business was put on stream; maintaining a monopoly on the breed, they sold only males. Huge dogs with a wide mouth, a square head, a massive neck and the “manners of a lion”, they began to be called “Molossian dogs” (canis molossus) or “Epirian dogs”. Their special strength, height, ferocity and endurance made them effective living weapons. Alexander the Great was a passionate fan of fighting dogs and played a big role in their spread. He had 4,000 huge mastiffs in chain mail “under arms” that put infantry, cavalry and even Persian war elephants to flight. Grabbing the enemy horses by the nostrils, they brought them down along with the rider. Alexander the Great collected large fighting dogs as trophies and gifts from subordinate rulers. So, the king of Epirus (Greece) sent him two huge dogs that single-handedly took on a lion and an elephant! And the gift from India was 156 “huge, terrifying-looking dogs of extraordinary size and strength, which together could stretch a lion.” The dogs not only fought, but also escorted prisoners, guarded fortresses and forward posts. The ancient Greek historian Plutarch described the feat of a dog named Soter (IV century BC): “Corinth was guarded by a garrison, assisted by 50 Molossians sleeping on the shore. One night, enemy troops landed from the sea. The garrison, having gotten drunk the day before, did not notice this, and only dogs met the enemy. However, the forces were unequal, and 49 dogs were exterminated. Only one Soter managed to escape and raise the alarm by barking. The Corinthians took up arms and repulsed the enemy. As a reward, the dog received a silver collar with the inscription “Defender and Savior of Corinth,” and a monument to the dog was erected in the city.”

Rome

The Romans also used dogs in the professional army, especially during the Republic. For the first time on Italian soil, they, together with war elephants, fought at Heraclea for the Epirus king Pyrrhus (280 BC). Rome knew how to learn - soon fighting dogs appeared in its legions. In a much at war country, the qualities of these animals suited the court, and the Romans purchased them in large quantities in Greece. And then, having defeated the Greeks, they completely captured their dogs and were delighted with such an inheritance. Thus, the consul Lucius Aemilius Paulus of Macedon brought 100 trophy dogs to the capital for a parade on the occasion of the victory won in 168 BC. e. over the Macedonian king Perseus. They were led through the streets of Rome with Perseus in chains. True, the superbly organized Roman army did not really need additional weapons and at first she used dogs only to cover the rear and provide communications (the fate of the “messengers” was unenviable: having forced the dog to swallow a report on parchment, upon arrival at the place they ripped open his stomach and took out the letter). Also, Vegetius in his “Art of War” says that dogs with a keen sense of smell were usually forced to lie in the towers of fortresses, which, when the enemy approached, barked and warned the garrison. It happened that Rome did not fight, but the dogs always fought. Their fights in the arena, alone and in packs, against bulls, lions, elephants, bears and gladiators attracted large audiences. The famous column of Marcus Aurelius depicts dogs participating in battle, but this was a very rare phenomenon.

Rome appreciated all the power of the “dogs of the battlefield” when fighting in Europe with the barbarians, who used live weapons much more actively. Often dogs were dressed in special armor to make them less vulnerable to blows from bladed weapons. The armor, as a rule, consisted of a metal or leather shell that covered the back and sides of the dog. In addition to armor, dogs were wearing special collars with long spikes. Dogs for which there was not enough armor were painted with various terrifying patterns. Before the battle, the dogs were not fed - this made them more vicious. In battle, packs of dogs were looked after by beaters. At their command, the dogs were released from their leashes and set on the enemy. The attack of the furious painted dogs made a strong psychological impression. She caused panic among enemy fighters. And the one who is afraid, as a rule, loses. So the Roman legions owed their “invincibility” to their four-legged “fighters.” Using dogs in the conquests of Gaul and Britain, the legionnaires encountered powerful resistance from the Celts who lived there, who had a large number of huge mastiffs who gave a worthy rebuff to the Roman Molossians. The Celtic Danes threw themselves at the legionnaire's shield with their front paws, knocking him to the ground - and then it was a matter of technique. The animals were so good that the Romans even had the position of purchaser of dogs from the British Isles (procurator cynogie). It is believed that the Celts brought these huge dogs with them from their original homeland in Asia.

From the middle of the 1st millennium BC. That is, the Germans also appreciated the advantages of warlike dogs in numerous skirmishes and actively used them in military clashes with the Roman army. Already in the description of the Battle of Vercelli in 101 BC. Gaius Marius testified that the Cimbri unleashed war dogs covered with armor on the army, and on their necks there were collars with iron spikes. It was not for nothing that among the ancient Germans a dog cost 12 shillings, and a horse only 6. In the famous battle in the Teutoburg Forest, it was precisely these fearless warriors of the Cherusci that Gaius Marius, already confident of victory, suddenly encountered. And victory, thanks to the fanged soldiers of the enemy, turned into defeat for the Romans. And the dogs managed to hold Wagenburg, besieged by the Romans, for two whole days.

Middle Ages and Modern Times

According to De Barre Duparc, in the battle of Murten and Gransen in 1476, a regular battle arose between the Swiss and Burgundian dogs, which ended in the complete extermination of the Burgundians. At the Battle of Valence, the French dogs running ahead as scouts attacked the Spaniards' dogs, a stubborn bloody battle ensued, but the Spanish dogs inflicted terrible damage on the scouts. Tradition has it that Emperor Charles then shouted to his soldiers: “I hope you will be as brave as your dogs!” Henry VIII The English sent Emperor Charles V an auxiliary army of 4,000 dogs, and Philip V of Spain ordered the feeding of the numerous dogs roaming around the fortresses, thus making them guards and patrollers: at the slightest noise of the Austrian parties leaving Orbitella, the dogs started barking. During forays, the dogs were always in front, opening enemy ambushes or pointing out the roads along which the enemy was retreating. With the advent of firearms, the meaning of “battlefield dogs” faded into European wars no, but they distinguished themselves during the conquest of America. For the Indians, who had never seen such monsters, the dogs of the Spanish conquistadors became a living fiend. IN staffing table Columbus' troops included such units as "200 infantry, 20 cavalry and the same number of dogs." We are talking about Alano Spanish bulldogs. To exterminate the aborigines, pious Europeans used entire squads of these extremely dangerous beasts. Cattle breeders used them to subdue aggressive bulls of the El Toro Bravo breed, bred for bullfighting, and poison wild boars. It was the people's turn. Alano’s powerful grip and enormous strength do not prevent him from having a quick reaction; he is able to develop higher speed at a short distance, jump over a 2-meter barrier (“the mighty Alano holds tighter than three wild boars”). They were scrupulously trained for specific work. The dog grabbed the Indian by the hand, and if he obeyed, he took him captive without causing harm, but at the slightest resistance he killed him. The Alano worked so hard during the conquest of Mexico and Peru that the Spanish king awarded them lifelong pensions. In La Vega (now Dominican Republic) several thousand Indians were put to flight by a detachment of only 150 infantry, 30 horsemen and 20 dogs.

Later, Europeans used dogs to search for slaves who had escaped from plantations, training them on black leather mannequins filled with blood and animal entrails, which were then fed to them. While catching up with the black man, the dog saw the same mannequin, and the fugitive had no chance of surviving. And in Turkey, the service of fighting dogs (“sekban”) in the Janissary corps was at its best. In 1778 during the siege of Dubnitsa Turkish dogs entire units of the Austrian army were put to flight!