Academic Journal
From the Eurasian Steppes to the Roman Circuses: A Review of Early Development of Horse Breeding and Management.
| Title: | From the Eurasian Steppes to the Roman Circuses: A Review of Early Development of Horse Breeding and Management. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Klecel, Weronika, Martyniuk, Elżbieta |
| Source: | Animals (2076-2615); Jul2021, Vol. 11 Issue 7, p1859, 1p |
| Abstract: | Simple Summary: Horses were domesticated later than any other major livestock species. Their role in shaping ancient civilizations cannot be overestimated. As a primary means of transportation, an essential asset in warfare, and later one of the key elements of circus entertainment, horses quickly became luxurious goods. Vast amounts of money were invested in the horse industry resulted resulting in the rapid development of horse breeding and husbandry. This review examines paleogenetic, archeological, and classical studies on managing horses in antiquity. Many ancient approaches and practices in horse management are still relevant today and some of them, now abandoned, are worth re-examination. The domestication of the horse began about 5500 years ago in the Eurasian steppes. In the following millennia horses spread across the ancient world, and their role in transportation and warfare affected every ancient culture. Ownership of horses became an indicator of wealth and social status. The importance of horses led to a growing interest in their breeding and management. Many phenotypic traits, such as height, behavior, and speed potential, have been proven to be a subject of selection; however, the details of ancient breeding practices remain mostly unknown. From the fourth millennium BP, through the Iron Age, many literature sources thoroughly describe horse training systems, as well as various aspects of husbandry, many of which are still in use today. The striking resemblance of ancient and modern equine practices leaves us wondering how much was accomplished through four thousand years of horse breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Subject Terms: | HORSE breeds, HORSE breeding, HORSE training, STEPPES, CIRCUS, HORSE industry |
| Copyright of Animals (2076-2615) is the property of MDPI and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| ISSN: | 20762615 |
| DOI: | 10.3390/ani11071859 |
| Database: | Complementary Index |
Availability