The Molossus (Greek: ????????) or Molossian hound is a breed of dog from ancient southern Europe.
Video Molossus (dog)
History
This ancient extinct breed of dog is considered to be the ancestor (in rivalry with the Alaunt, the dog of the Alans) of today's Mastiff-type dogs and of many other modern breeds. Mastiff-type dogs are often referred to as Molossus dogs or Molossers. It is one of the best-known breeds of antiquity; however, its function and physical characteristics are debated. This large ancient breed was, along with the Tibetan Mastiff, an important ancestor of modern breeds such as the English Mastiff, St. Bernard, Great Pyrenees, Rottweiler, Great Dane, Newfoundland, Greater Swiss Mountain Dog, and Bernese Mountain Dog and its most direct relative, the Neapolitan Mastiff.
Dogs were used by the Epirotan tribes in war, and were undoubtedly used much earlier in history. The Roman Empire, starting with Marcus Aurelius, also used dogs in combat. The Romans trained the Molossian dog (or canis molossus) specifically for battle, often coating them in protective spiked metal collars and mail armor, arranging them into attack formations.
Some scholars contend the Molossus was used by the Ancient Greeks for fighting. Described as having a wide, short muzzle and a heavy dewlap (similar to modern Mastiff breeds), the Molossus was used to fight tigers, lions, elephants, and men in battle. A Roman copy of a sculpture of a guard dog (known as the Jennings Dog) on display at the British Museum, is generally considered to represent a Molossus.
Others argue it was primarily a lightweight dog used for hunting and herding -- with physical characteristics more akin to Greyhounds or possibly the American Pit Bull Terrier.
Most scholars agree the Molossus originated with the Molossis people in the mountainous regions of ancient Epirus (part of modern Albania and Greece). The Molossians were renowned for their vicious hounds, used by Molossian shepherds in the mountains of Epirus to guard their flocks. The poet Grattius, a contemporary of Ovid, writes "...when serious work has come, when bravery must be shown, and the impetuous War-god calls in the utmost hazard, then you could not but admire the renowned Molossians so much."
The breed was native to ancient Epirus (present day Albania and Greece) and the Balkan region. It later spread to Italy, around the Mediterranean and across Europe. Virgil says the Ancient Greeks and Romans used the heavier Molossian dogs for hunting (canis venaticus), to guard the home, and watch over livestock (canis pastoralis). "Never, with them on guard," says Virgil, "need you fear for your stalls a midnight thief, or onslaught of wolves, or Iberian brigands at your back." Aristotle mentions them in The History of Animals, praising their bravery and physical superiority.
The breed's name was used to name the bat Molossus and, in turn, the family Molossidae.
Maps Molossus (dog)
See also
- Molosser
References
Source of article : Wikipedia
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