Ancient Rome’s living weapons: How macaques were used and given slaves

In the ancient port of Berenice on the Red Sea, archaeologists have discovered several dozen unusual graves. These were the remains of monkeys that the elite of Ancient Rome kept as exotic pets. The primates were buried not only with all the proper human burial paraphernalia, but even with their own animal slaves.

This extraordinary discovery completely changes all previous ideas about keeping pets in ancient times and represents the first archaeological evidence that India and the Roman Empire traded live animals in the first and second centuries.

An unusual pet cemetery in Berenice

Scientists have found the remains of about three dozen Indian monkeys in the ancient port. Previously, all primates whose remains were found on the territory of Ancient Rome belonged exclusively to Berber macaques from North Africa. These were the lands of the Roman Empire, and therefore, such exotic animals were relatively inexpensive and quite affordable for rich Romans.

The remains of monkeys from Berenice represent something completely different. Research has shown that these animals are native to India, and this, in turn, became the main evidence that Rome traded with this country, and live animals were brought here by sea. This discovery completely changes all the established ideas of scientists about the trading networks of the Red Sea in ancient times.

All the monkeys found in Berenice were buried with all the funeral paraphernalia due to the rich Romans. This indicates the unusually high status of these primates in Rome at that time. Visit. A F R I N I K . C O M . For the full article. Moreover, other animals are buried with the monkeys, placed in such a way that the researchers identified them as slaves of elite pets.

Scientists believe that the ancient Romans viewed monkeys as creatures with a semi-human status. They enjoyed special privileges in Roman society and were often treated far better than human slaves. Among other things, the primate burial site is located in proximity to a Roman military fortress. Scientists believe that the monkeys were the property of Roman legionaries and nobility representatives stationed in this border port.

Not just elite pets, but squires?

Objects were found at the burial site, which, according to scientists, may indicate that the primates were not only exotic pets of the military elite, but also, possibly, had the status of squires.

However, with all the reverent attitude towards these animals, their remains indicate that they did not receive proper care from their owners. The monkeys were clearly malnourished, which indicates the obvious difficulties of keeping primates away from their natural habitat. Indian macaques needed a diet that was unavailable in the harsh desert climate of the Berenice port, even to the richest Romans.

Despite all these difficulties, the opportunity to have such exotic animals as Indian macaques significantly increased the social status of their owners. An officer or an aristocrat strolling through the streets of Berenice with a monkey on a leash, according to the researchers, immediately aroused admiring awe and unfailing respect from everyone around. It spoke of a high social status, better than expensive clothes and weapons.

This discovery not only told scientists a lot about the culture of Ancient Rome, but also became clear evidence that the port of Berenice was an important trading hub in the maritime trade network. It connected the Mediterranean with Africa and Asia, served not only as a place of importation of various goods and luxury goods, but also as a place of importation of exotic animals.