8 Wild Animals Ancient Cultures Successfully Tamed (2 of 5)

The Ancient Greeks (Weasels)

Centuries before domestic cats became the solution to pest control problems in Europe, ancient Greeks opted for a predator that was smaller and far more aggressive: the weasel. Quick and nimble, they were true masters of hunting down mice and rats, thereby preventing them from stealing stored grain, which was vital to feeding the people and livestock. While weasels could be tamed to a certain degree, the inability to breed the aggression instincts out of them entirely led to them falling out of favor and being replaced by cats.

The Carthaginians of North Africa (War Elephants)

Today, we still remember the ancient city of Carthage, located in modern-day Tunisia, for its innovative practice of using elephants in warfare. The most notable example of this practice was during the Second Punic Wars when the legendary general Hannibal and his contingent of 37 elephants marched 1,500 miles (2,400 km) from Iberia (modern-day Spain) to the heart of Italy, terrifying foes who were unfamiliar with the sight of large, fearsome beasts trained to plow straight into them. Captured in the wild, these would-be warrior elephants were tamed through food rewards, correction techniques, and constant contact with humans. The initial shock value was highly effective, but the amount of food required to feed them and their sensitivity to freezing temperatures (which they didn’t have to deal with in North Africa) made them impractical in the long run. Indeed, by the time Hannibal reached northern Italy, all but one of his elephants had died from starvation or the cold.