War Pigs: A Flaming History of Nature’s Cutest Creations in Battle
War Pigs: A Flaming History of Nature’s Cutest Creations in Battle Throughout human history, animals have been effectively domesticated and used as an extension of the territorial desires of human beings. While dogs and cattle became effective elements in the immediate domestic territory, elephants were one of the first animals to be trained and guided by humans for combat, called elephantry. Pigeons, dogs, horses, bears, camels, and even bees have been used in combat, in many cruel and unthinkable ways. War pigs were famously utilized by the ancient Romans to counter elephants, including setting them on fire! Romans and Pigs: A Tactical Maneuver Despite their massive size and power, Pliny the Elder said of the animals that never forget: “ elephants are scared by the smallest squeal of the hog”. Pigs appeared in written sources as tools of combat around 240 BC. Some histories said that the Roman legions would exploit the power of the squeal, by letting the pigs...