Cannibalism / anthropophagy

[vopattes]

This might seem an odd topic, it all started with a conversation i had regarding that "pig's womb" recipe.

 

However, it is a concept found in the greek mythology of Kronos, also, in sharing the "body" of christ, ...

but i can't seem to find any historical or mythological accounts from pre-empire roman culture.

 

Did romans express any view on the subject ? (Law, religion, medicin, ...)

Did they ever practice it in any form ? (a mother mammal will eat the "stuff surrounding offspring")

Or meet other peoples that did ? (labeling ones enemies as an inferior civilisation)

 

I assume their views on cannibalism was much as is today, but if anyone has any ideas where to get some good info, i would much appreciate it.

 

Your opinions or thoughts are most welcome.

TY in advance.

[Pantagathus]

Lionel Casson mentioned in his Travel in the Ancient World that unscrupulous Innkeepers would somtimes substitute human flesh for pork because a.) It tasted similar & had similar texture and b.) It was cheaper and easier to come by...

 

He gave a source but I can't remember what it was at the moment. It was either from letters or maybe even one of the Satires.

[caldrail]

Officially cannablism was repugnant to the romans in the same way we view it - its a symbol of primitiveness besides any ethical concerns. The story of Hannibal crossing the alps contains a tale where a carthaginian general tells hannibal that to stave off hunger they must teach their men to eat human flesh and enjoy it, an offer which hannibal quickly refuses. Off hand I can't think of any occaision where romans met a cannabalistic culture although some of those german tribes might have for religious purposes - I'm only guessing about that.

 

On an individual level then its always possible that a ancient serial killer indulged (such behaviour is not an invention of the modern world) and the tale of an innkeeper selling human flesh instead of pork has some basis in reality. A 13th century innkeeper at Colbourne, John Jarvis (?), was executed for murdering at least 60 travellers by means of a hinged bed into a cauldron of boiling water. Up until then he'd managed to dispose of the evidence and sell their property.

[DecimusCaesar]

I remember reading in Tacitus's Agricola that a few Roman Legionaires resorted to Cannibalism after being stranded at sea. He says:

 

"Though often succesful, the raiders were sometimes driven off; and in the end they were so near starvation that they began to eat one another; first they picked the weakest, then they drew the lots. In this fashion they sailed around Northern Britain; then they lost their ships through bad seamanship, were taken for pirates, and were cut off first by the Suebi and then the Frisii. Some were sold as slaves and passed from hand to hand till they reached our bank of the Rhine, where they gained notoriety by teling the story of their Wonderful Adventure..."

 

These men were from the Cohort of the Usipi that had been enrolled in Germany and brought to fight in the campaign in Britain. They killed their Centurion and a few other trainers, when they set off to sea.

[vopattes]

very helpful, thanks again.

 

I am happy to believe that Hannibal would have refused.

 

I should offer nutritional info for the demented and/or unscrupulous inkeeper ... i believe it is healthier to eat meat of a species that is more distantly related then a pig, as such ... travelers probably chose the fish when available.

 

As for the most unfortunate circumstances (shipwreck) that have occured, i shall look for the Raft of the Medusa at the Louvre in Paris ... you can see a small version in wikipedia at this link :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Raft_of...e_Gericault.JPG

[DecimusCaesar]

Vopattes, I apologise, as I didn't realise at the time that you wanted information about cannibalism in pre-imperial times. Tacitus wrote about events in the first century, so it's off by a bit.

 

Off hand I can't think of any occaision where romans met a cannabalistic culture although some of those german tribes might have for religious purposes - I'm only guessing about that.

 

I don't know about the Romans, but Herodotus said that the Massagetae tribe were cannibalistic, and that they ate members of their own tribe that would reach a certain age.

[vopattes]

Yes, i am not finding any mention of this during the republic in particular.

 

This Hannibal story is perfect, and resembles Tacitus' story which seems to be a recurring event (hopefully not a frequent one), so it's close enough for me.

 

But i've given up trying to make any sense of this odd topic :

i can't imagine why it should seem to appear "all of a sudden" with the arrival of christianity (sharing of "flesh+blood", accusations against the Gnostics, ... ?)

 

i was hoping for a connection through Law, religion, or something.

[AEGYPTUS]

The early Christians were considered to be cannibal/vampires by the Romans because they received the body and blood of Christ. Weren

[caldrail]

Correct. A false impression because the pagan romans misunderstood the symbolism. The christians were accused of eating babies too.

[Antiochus of Seleucia]

I should offer nutritional info for the demented and/or unscrupulous inkeeper ... i believe it is healthier to eat meat of a species that is more distantly related then a pig, as such

 

Actually, technically it is better to eat something more closely related to you, it is easier on digestion. I'll spare the biological lecture.

 

For a civilization such as the Romans, with the different foods they were able to obtain, it is hard to see them accepting cannibalism.

[caldrail]

Actually, technically it is better to eat something more closely related to you, it is easier on digestion. I'll spare the biological lecture.

 

Not according to new guinea tribesmen, who do occaisionally suffer from strange maladies passed on from human consumption.

 

For a civilization such as the Romans, with the different foods they were able to obtain, it is hard to see them accepting cannibalism.

 

Agreed. The romans thought that a very barbaric practice, hence the initial horrified suspicion about christians. Then again, individual people do sometimes behave amorally and unethically without regard to accepted custom. In secret it must be said, but there's always one or two..