Mankind has been breeding pigs for thousands of years. But these animals were never considered simply food or livestock. In different countries, they became messengers of something sublime and important to man. But what did the pig symbolize for the inhabitants of ancient Rome?
Sacred animals
The ruins of ancient Roman cities that have survived to this day often keep on their walls drawings dedicated to various representatives of the fauna. Mythology included many stories about wild and domestic animals.
This may seem strange if you recall how they were treated in the world-famous gladiatorial arena of the Coliseum. Sometimes they were used to carry out the execution of a person sentenced to death. But often the animals themselves became the object of hunting. In fairness, it is worth saying that after the death of the animals, the animals were buried in a cemetery next to people, and during burial, certain gifts were buried with them. It could be coins or jewelry. The purpose of such generosity was to express gratitude for the service rendered by the beast and for the aesthetic pleasure delivered. No matter how cruel such a hobby may seem, animals were treated with due respect in any case, and the slogan "Bread and circuses!" remains relevant in our time.
Among the animals revered in ancient Rome are a dog, a dolphin, a wolf, and, of course, a pig. The latter will be discussed later.
To be or not to be
What was the symbol of the pig in ancient Rome? "Field of Miracles" is a well-known television program, not the first decade forcing viewers to look for answers to many questions. And the question regarding the symbolic meaning of the pig made many turn to various sources for an answer.
If we summarize all the information we found, then we can safely say that the pig was a symbol of fertility, motherhood and prosperity. But concretizing this question, we can single out one exact word. The conditions voiced in the program were as follows: "What was the symbol of the pig in ancient Rome?" (7 letters). “Field of Miracles” did not leave a chance to use any of the words that we listed earlier. And the answer was "wedding." After all, just before the wedding, fortune-telling took place on the pork entrails. If during the ritual it turned out that future spouses would not be able to live happily and create a strong family, then the celebration was immediately canceled. And human feelings did not play any role at all - the lovers simply were not destined to celebrate their wedding.
Therefore, it is absolutely true that the pig symbolized precisely the marriage.
Cultural difference
A symbol of what was a pig in ancient Rome, we have already figured out. But what sacred meaning did this “pretty person” carry in other world cultures?
If you start with the sharpest contrasts, it is worth mentioning that among Christians, a pig is a symbol of gluttony. And this is one of the seven deadly sins. Therefore, Christians do not experience such a warm feeling for mumps as the inhabitants of Ancient Rome.
The Celts, on the contrary, she was the personification of the moon and a symbol of fertility.
And in China, the pig carried the significance of male strength and longevity. It becomes clear how the answers to the question about what the pig was a symbol of in ancient Rome and in other countries are strikingly different!