Animal Behaviour and Barbarian Customs: Points of Contact Between Ethnography and Ethology in Greek and Latin Sources

Abstract

In the context of the ancient philosophical discussion of animal intelligence, authors tried to show the commonality of the human and the animal mind by collecting and presenting anecdotes in which animal behaviour appears anthropomorphized. Normally this anthropomorphization follows Greek and Roman standards, but in some cases animals appear behaving in ways reminiscent of “barbarian” customs, as transmitted by ancient historiographical sources. A selection of such cases is the subject of this article. The image of the behaviour of wild animals such as elephants or eagles, and domesticated animals, like dogs and hens, in the works of Pliny, Aelian, and Plutarch can sometimes reflect what recent studies have called “the barbarian repertoire”, whereby animals appear to be endowed with a sort of “alien wisdom”.