Incendiary pigs: Did Ancient Rome really set animals alight and use them in battle?

The Roman army was one of the most effective and sophisticated fighting forces of the ancient world, renowned for its discipline, organization, and innovative strategies.

While much of its strength lay in the formidable skill and training of its legions, the Romans were also adept at making use of every resource available to them, from the advanced siege engines that they developed to their strategic utilization of geography.

The Roman military was a pioneering force in the development of unique and effective tactics, never shying away from adapting or adopting unconventional methods if it served their goals.

For instance, they were known to use war elephants, borrowed from the Carthaginians, and later, the symbolic and strategic use of the Aquila, or the eagle, became a significant part of their military identity.

The use of animals in ancient warfare was not a novelty limited to Rome. There are countless examples of civilizations using beasts of burden or predatory creatures in combat scenarios, whether for transportation, intimidation, or direct attack.

Elephants, horses, dogs, and even birds have been conscripted into military service in different eras, providing a significant advantage to the forces that utilized them.

However, the case of the incendiary pigs presents a fascinating divergence from these examples.

Rather than exploiting the natural strengths or fearsome reputations of these animals, this tactic, if indeed it was used, would have turned the pigs into literal weapons, their value lying not in their strength or speed, but in the fear and chaos they could sow when set alight and released into enemy ranks.

The concept of incendiary pigs in warfare, at its core, is simple yet brutal. It combines two elements that are intrinsically associated with chaos and fear: fire and a rampaging animal.

However, the actualization of this concept would have required a certain level of logistical planning and tactical acumen.

The idea behind the use of incendiary pigs was to utilize the inherent panic and unpredictability of a frightened, burning animal as a psychological weapon against the enemy.

The primary goal of such a tactic would likely have been to sow chaos and disorder in the opposing army's ranks, thereby disrupting their formation or siege and providing the Romans with an opportunity to attack or escape.

According to historical accounts, the pigs used for this purpose were typically coated in pitch or some other highly flammable substance.

This coating served two purposes. Firstly, it ensured that the pig would catch fire rapidly and burn intensely enough to cause significant chaos.

Secondly, the pitch could also serve to keep the pig aflame for a longer period, thereby prolonging the intended disruption to the enemy's ranks.

Once the pig was coated and ready, it would be set ablaze and then driven towards the enemy.

The terrified animal, in its attempts to escape the flames, would run amok, thereby causing panic and chaos among the enemy forces.

The sight of a flaming creature charging towards them, coupled with the noise and confusion it would create, was intended to cause fear and disarray, disrupting enemy formations or breaking a siege.

The truth behind the use of incendiary pigs in Roman warfare largely rests on the historical evidence - or the lack thereof.

Most of our understanding of this tactic comes from ancient written sources, as no physical archaeological evidence of incendiary pigs has been found to date.

The most well-known and often-cited source of this unusual military tactic is the Greek historian Polyaenus, who wrote extensively about military strategy in the 2nd century AD.

In his "Stratagems of War," Polyaenus recounts the use of incendiary pigs during a siege by the Roman general Crassus.

According to his account, the defenders of a town under siege attempted to scare off the Roman war elephants with squealing pigs, but Crassus ordered the pigs to be set on fire.

The squealing and burning pigs were then driven towards the enemy elephants, causing them to panic and trample their own troops in their haste to escape the fiery pigs.

Another mention of incendiary pigs is in the writings of Aelian, a Roman author and teacher of rhetoric who lived in the 2nd to 3rd century AD.

In his work "On the Nature of Animals," Aelian writes of pigs being used to counter war elephants, which were said to be scared of the pigs' squeals.

However, it's important to note that both of these sources were written several centuries after the events they describe, and there is no contemporary evidence from the time of the alleged incidents to support their accounts.

As such, their reliability as sources is debated among historians. The potential for exaggeration or misinterpretation, common in ancient historical texts, adds another layer of uncertainty to the tale.

In addition, there is no archaeological evidence to support the use of incendiary pigs in warfare.

No burnt pig remains have been found at Roman military sites, and there are no contemporary depictions of the tactic in Roman art or sculpture.

The main point of contention is the reliability and interpretation of the historical accounts that mention this tactic, and the absence of any physical evidence or contemporary sources to support these accounts.

Polyaenus and Aelian, who provide the primary sources for the incendiary pigs narrative, wrote several centuries after the events they describe.

This temporal gap, coupled with the absence of any corroborating accounts from the time of the actual events, raises questions about the accuracy of their writings.

Were they faithfully reporting historical events, or were they, consciously or unconsciously, embellishing the facts, a common practice in ancient historical writing?

Historians also debate the feasibility and practicality of the tactic itself. The process of coating a pig in a flammable substance, setting it on fire, and then managing to drive it in the right direction, towards the enemy and not your own troops, would be a considerable logistical challenge.

There's also the risk of the flames spreading and causing damage to the Roman forces themselves.

Would the Romans have taken such a risk and gone to such lengths, especially when there were other, more straightforward ways of sowing chaos and fear in the enemy's ranks?

Furthermore, the lack of archaeological evidence adds to the controversy. No remains of burnt pigs have been found at any Roman military sites, which one might expect if the tactic was used on any significant scale.

This absence of physical evidence casts further doubt on the veracity of the incendiary pigs narrative.

In light of these factors, some historians argue that the incendiary pigs story is more myth than reality, a product of exaggeration and embellishment rather than a genuine military tactic.

Others, however, maintain that while the evidence is sparse and the tactic's feasibility questionable, the possibility of its use cannot be entirely ruled out, given the Romans' innovative approach to warfare and the historical accounts that describe it.

While the concept of incendiary pigs may seem unique to Ancient Rome, the idea of using animals as a medium for delivering fire in warfare is not exclusive to the Romans.

There are several examples from different cultures and time periods that have used animals, particularly birds and insects, in this way.

One of the most famous instances involves the 'fire-birds' used by the Russians during the Middle Ages.

During sieges, they would reportedly attach slow-burning pieces of cloth or straw to birds, which were then released to fly back to their nests within the enemy's wooden fortifications, thereby setting them on fire.

Similarly, during the siege of Mecca in 683 AD, the Umayyad forces are said to have used 'fire-camels.'

These were camels loaded with wood and fat, set alight, and driven towards the enemy's positions, causing havoc and destruction.

In East Asia, there is historical documentation of 'fire-oxen' being used in warfare, particularly during the Sengoku period in Japan.

These were oxen with flaming torches attached to their horns, which were then driven towards enemy ranks to cause panic and disarray.

Perhaps the most remarkable example of incendiary animals comes from China, where there are accounts of 'fire-bees' and 'fire-bugs' being used.

In these instances, insects in a state of hibernation were collected and kept in ceramic pots with slow-burning materials.

When the pots were thrown at the enemy, the heat would awaken the insects, causing them to fly out and spread the fire.

Despite the varied nature of these tactics and the different cultures they originate from, they all share a common purpose: to sow fear and confusion in the enemy's ranks and to exploit the destructive power of fire.

They also highlight the darker side of human-animal relationships, demonstrating how animals have been used and sacrificed in the pursuit of human conflicts.