Environmentalism in Ancient Rome

[Kosmo]

Romans are original among the states of Eurasia for the absence of "royal hunts" those large scale, luxurious hunts of dangerous or exotic animals that enhanced the prestige of royalties and aristocrats from Ancient Egypt to modern times (the Achmenid kings had huge enclosed parks, Wilhem the Conqueror moved villages to create hunting reserves, Kublay hunting party was a very organized mobile city, the one of Bayazid was the size of an army, Akhbar had 1.000 trained cheetas, etc). Instead the romans had venatio shows were emperors and other powerful politicians paid for the killing of wild animals in the arenas for the enjoyment of the plebs. Only Hadrian was a passionate hunter but he had a small host.

This tells me that the romans view of the relation with the natural world was somewhat different from most other civilizations.

[Ursus]

Romans are original among the states of Eurasia for the absence of "royal hunts" those large scale, luxurious hunts of dangerous or exotic animals that enhanced the prestige of royalties and aristocrats from Ancient Egypt to modern times (the Achmenid kings had huge enclosed parks, Wilhem the Conqueror moved villages to create hunting reserves, Kublay hunting party was a very organized mobile city, the one of Bayazid was the size of an army, Akhbar had 1.000 trained cheetas, etc). Instead the romans had venatio shows were emperors and other powerful politicians paid for the killing of wild animals in the arenas for the enjoyment of the plebs. Only Hadrian was a passionate hunter but he had a small host.

This tells me that the romans view of the relation with the natural world was somewhat different from most other civilizations.

 

 

This is an interesting post.

 

In 'ethical' terms I would say hunting at least has the dignity of being a sport whereas mass slaughter for entertainment lacks dignity.

Edited November 10, 2009 by Ursus

[sylla]

Romans are original among the states of Eurasia for the absence of "royal hunts" those large scale, luxurious hunts of dangerous or exotic animals that enhanced the prestige of royalties and aristocrats from Ancient Egypt to modern times (the Achmenid kings had huge enclosed parks, Wilhem the Conqueror moved villages to create hunting reserves, Kublay hunting party was a very organized mobile city, the one of Bayazid was the size of an army, Akhbar had 1.000 trained cheetas, etc). Instead the romans had venatio shows were emperors and other powerful politicians paid for the killing of wild animals in the arenas for the enjoyment of the plebs. Only Hadrian was a passionate hunter but he had a small host.

This tells me that the romans view of the relation with the natural world was somewhat different from most other civilizations.

 

 

This is an interesting post.

 

In 'ethical' terms I would say hunting at least has the dignity of being a sport whereas mass slaughter for entertainment lacks dignity.

Usus autem sum, ne in aliquo fallam carissimam mihi familiaritatem tuam, praecipue libris ex bibliotheca Ulpia, aetate mea thermis Diocletianis, et item ex domo Tiberiana, usus etiam [ex] regestis scribarum porticus porphyreticae, actis etiam senatus ac populi. 2 et quoniam me ad colligenda talis viri gesta ephemeris Turduli Gallicani plurimum invit, viri honestissimi ac sincerissimi, beneficium amici senis tacere non debui. 3 Cn. Pompeium, tribus fulgentem triumphis belli piratici, belli Sertoriani, belli Mithridatici multarumque rerum gestarum maiestate sublimem, quis tandem nosset, nisi eum Marcus Tullius et Titus Livius in litteras rettulissent? 4 Publ<i>um Scipionem Afric<an>um, immo Scipiones omnes, seu Lucios seu Nasicas, nonne tenebrae possiderent ac tegerent, nisi commendatores eorum historici nobiles atque ignobiles extitissent? 5 longum est omnia persequi, quae ad exemplum huiusce modi etiam nobis tacentibus usurpanda sunt. 6 illud tantum contestatum volo me et rem scripsisse, quam, si quis voluerit, honestius eloquio celsiore demonstret, et mihi quidem id animi fuit, 6 <ut> non Sallustios, Livios, Tacito<s>, Trogos atque omnes disertissimos imitarer viros in vita principum et temporibus disserendis, sed Marium Maximum, Suetonium Tranquillum, Fabium Marcellinum, Gargilium Martialem, Iulium Capitolinum, Aelium Lampridium ceterosque, qui haec et talia non tam diserte quam vere memoriae tradiderunt. 8 sum enim unus ex curiosis, quod infi[ni]t<i>as ire non possum, ince<n>dentibus vobis, qui, cum multa sciatis, scire multo plura cupitis. 9 et ne diutius ea, quae ad meum consilium pertinent, loquar, magnum et praeclarum principem et qualem historia nostra non novit, arripiam.

Edited January 1, 2010 by sylla

[Ursus]

Yeah, I am aware of that.

[M. Porcius Cato]

Romans are original among the states of Eurasia for the absence of "royal hunts" those large scale, luxurious hunts of dangerous or exotic animals that enhanced the prestige of royalties and aristocrats from Ancient Egypt to modern times

 

Aside from the myth of the Caledonian boar hunt, is there any hint that the Greeks of the 5th century or the Carthaginians ever engaged in 'royal hunts'?

[sylla]

According to Barbero, Themistius says (in a combination of direct quotation and paraphrase), "We worry so much about preserving animal species, we're worried that elephants may disappear from Libya, lions from Thessaly, and hippopotamuses, from the Nile; therefore we should rejoice that a race of men, yes, barbarians, as some will say, but men, has been saved from extermination." ... Clearly Themistius is referencing a common and well known concern for the preservation of animals.

Usus autem sum, ne in aliquo fallam carissimam mihi familiaritatem tuam, praecipue libris ex bibliotheca Ulpia, aetate mea thermis Diocletianis, et item ex domo Tiberiana, usus etiam [ex] regestis scribarum porticus porphyreticae, actis etiam senatus ac populi. 2 et quoniam me ad colligenda talis viri gesta ephemeris Turduli Gallicani plurimum invit, viri honestissimi ac sincerissimi, beneficium amici senis tacere non debui. 3 Cn. Pompeium, tribus fulgentem triumphis belli piratici, belli Sertoriani, belli Mithridatici multarumque rerum gestarum maiestate sublimem, quis tandem nosset, nisi eum Marcus Tullius et Titus Livius in litteras rettulissent? 4 Publ<i>um Scipionem Afric<an>um, immo Scipiones omnes, seu Lucios seu Nasicas, nonne tenebrae possiderent ac tegerent, nisi commendatores eorum historici nobiles atque ignobiles extitissent? 5 longum est omnia persequi, quae ad exemplum huiusce modi etiam nobis tacentibus usurpanda sunt. 6 illud tantum contestatum volo me et rem scripsisse, quam, si quis voluerit, honestius eloquio celsiore demonstret, et mihi quidem id animi fuit, 6 <ut> non Sallustios, Livios, Tacito<s>, Trogos atque omnes disertissimos imitarer viros in vita principum et temporibus disserendis, sed Marium Maximum, Suetonium Tranquillum, Fabium Marcellinum, Gargilium Martialem, Iulium Capitolinum, Aelium Lampridium ceterosque, qui haec et talia non tam diserte quam vere memoriae tradiderunt. 8 sum enim unus ex curiosis, quod infi[ni]t<i>as ire non possum, ince<n>dentibus vobis, qui, cum multa sciatis, scire multo plura cupitis. 9 et ne diutius ea, quae ad meum consilium pertinent, loquar, magnum et praeclarum principem et qualem historia nostra non novit, arripiam. Edited January 1, 2010 by sylla

[Kosmo]

Romans are original among the states of Eurasia for the absence of "royal hunts" those large scale, luxurious hunts of dangerous or exotic animals that enhanced the prestige of royalties and aristocrats from Ancient Egypt to modern times

 

Aside from the myth of the Caledonian boar hunt, is there any hint that the Greeks of the 5th century or the Carthaginians ever engaged in 'royal hunts'?

In "The Hunt in Ancient Greece" Judith M. Barringer identifies earlier and later connections withe the Eastern royal hunt but for archaic and early classical period, especially in Athens, hunting, together with warfare and athletics, make up a trio of physical activities that are defining occupations for the aristocracy.

http://books.google.ro/books?id=PMqCYtXqub...;q=&f=false

More about the royal hunt: The Royal Hunt in Eurasian History by Thomas T. Allsen

http://books.google.ro/books?id=6V9MtZT6go...;q=&f=false

[sylla]

More about the royal hunt: The Royal Hunt in Eurasian History by Thomas T. Allsen

http://books.google.ro/books?id=6V9MtZT6go...;q=&f=false

Usus autem sum, ne in aliquo fallam carissimam mihi familiaritatem tuam, praecipue libris ex bibliotheca Ulpia, aetate mea thermis Diocletianis, et item ex domo Tiberiana, usus etiam [ex] regestis scribarum porticus porphyreticae, actis etiam senatus ac populi. 2 et quoniam me ad colligenda talis viri gesta ephemeris Turduli Gallicani plurimum invit, viri honestissimi ac sincerissimi, beneficium amici senis tacere non debui. 3 Cn. Pompeium, tribus fulgentem triumphis belli piratici, belli Sertoriani, belli Mithridatici multarumque rerum gestarum maiestate sublimem, quis tandem nosset, nisi eum Marcus Tullius et Titus Livius in litteras rettulissent? 4 Publ<i>um Scipionem Afric<an>um, immo Scipiones omnes, seu Lucios seu Nasicas, nonne tenebrae possiderent ac tegerent, nisi commendatores eorum historici nobiles atque ignobiles extitissent? 5 longum est omnia persequi, quae ad exemplum huiusce modi etiam nobis tacentibus usurpanda sunt. 6 illud tantum contestatum volo me et rem scripsisse, quam, si quis voluerit, honestius eloquio celsiore demonstret, et mihi quidem id animi fuit, 6 <ut> non Sallustios, Livios, Tacito<s>, Trogos atque omnes disertissimos imitarer viros in vita principum et temporibus disserendis, sed Marium Maximum, Suetonium Tranquillum, Fabium Marcellinum, Gargilium Martialem, Iulium Capitolinum, Aelium Lampridium ceterosque, qui haec et talia non tam diserte quam vere memoriae tradiderunt. 8 sum enim unus ex curiosis, quod infi[ni]t<i>as ire non possum, ince<n>dentibus vobis, qui, cum multa sciatis, scire multo plura cupitis. 9 et ne diutius ea, quae ad meum consilium pertinent, loquar, magnum et praeclarum principem et qualem historia nostra non novit, arripiam. Edited January 1, 2010 by sylla