Humans have always adored certain animals and kept them as pets. From their beauty to amazing capabilities, people in ancient times adored different animals for various reasons, keeping them as pets and allies. Here are five animals that were loved as best friends by people in ancient times.
This pet was nothing less than a dignitary
Horses are royal animals; their height and agility give them regal status. From emperors to governors, many powerful people kept pet horses. But they couldn’t have loved their horses more than Caligula, an emperor in ancient Rome.
This extremely strict emperor housed his pet horse, Incitatus, in a manger made of ivory. The horse had a necklace made from fine stones, purple blankets, and slaves who worked as staff in charge of its welfare. Caligula even intended to make Incitatus an official consul before his assassination.
These animals were so honored that they were immortalized
The friendly relationship between man and cats can be traced back to the ancient Egyptians. Although cats have lived with man for about 10,000 years, these Egyptians were responsible for breeding them and discovering their lovely features.
The Egyptians’ reverence for cats gradually found its way into mythology, and they began to depict some of their gods with feline features. Many Egyptians loved their cats so much that they immortalized them by mummification– an honor they gave their kings.
People just couldn’t get enough of these birds
Parrots have always been some of the world’s most fascinating and beautiful birds. Well, in ancient times, these birds were prized pets. In ancient Egypt, people worshipped parrots- not only the Egyptians.
In Rome, people would build elaborately ornamented aviaries and ivory cages for their parrots. In 1493, when Columbus returned from his Atlantic expedition, he gifted Queen Isabella two Cuban Amazon parrots. She wrote him a letter asking for more.
This pet was a valuable messenger
If you’ve seen Game of Thrones, you’ll have an idea of how kings and prominent people loved their trained crows. The 12th Dynasty Pharaoh Amenemhat III, who ruled around 1850 BCE, had a tame crow that he trained like a carrier pigeon.
History had it that Amenemhat III’s crow was as intelligent as a border collie- it was one of the royalty’s fastest messengers. A tomb was built for this crow in modern-day Faiyum, Egypt. They were like special agents.
Man’s best friend? They used to be more than that
You already know we’re referring to dogs. Admired for their loyalty, intelligence, and gentleness, dogs have always been friends with humans since ancient times. However, the Melitaean breed was one of the most popular lap dogs of the time.
Ancient Greeks and Romans loved their lap dogs so much, especially women. Although this breed no longer exists, we know they were white and fluffy creatures due to the many illustrations left behind. It was a common saying then that women preferred their lap-dogs to their husbands.
