Ancient world Timeline of zoology

lascaux aurochs, stone age



3500 bc. sumerian animal-drawn wheeled vehicles , plows developed in mesopotamia, region called fertile crescent u.s. archaeologist james henry breasted (1865–1935). irrigation may have used animal power. increasing area under cultivation , reducing number of people required raise food, society permit few people become priests, artisans, scholars, , merchants. since sumeria had no natural defenses, armies mounted cavalry , chariots became imperative , scourge upon land purported protect. civilization built on backs of equines (horses , asses).
2000 bc. domestication of silkworm in china.
1100 bc. won chang (china), first of chou emperors, stocked imperial zoological garden deer, goats, birds , fish many parts of world. zoos today, animals may have been seen exotic, alien, , possibly threatening. emperor enjoyed sporting events use of animals.
850 bc. homer (greek), reputedly blind poet, wrote epics iliad , odyssey. both contain animals monsters , metaphors (gross soldiers turned pigs witch circe), correct observations on bees , fly maggots. both epics make reference mules. ancient greeks considered horses highly hybridized them humans, form boisterous centaurs. @ rate, animals used metaphors , moral symbols homer make timeless story.
610 bc. anaximander (greek, 610 bc–545 bc) student of thales of miletus. first life, taught, formed spontaneous generation in mud. later animals came being transmutations, left water, , reached dry land. man derived lower animals, aquatic. writings, poem on nature, read , cited aristotle , other later philosophers, lost.
563? bc. buddha (indian, 563?–483 bc) had gentle ideas on treatment of animals. animals held have intrinsic worth, not values derive usefulness man.
500 bc. empedocles of agrigentum (greek, 504–433 bc) reportedly rid town of malaria draining nearby swamps. proposed theory of 4 humors , natural origin of living things.


blue monkeys bronze age akrotiri



500 bc. alcmaeon (greek, c. 500 bc) performed human dissections. identified optic nerve, distinguished between veins , arteries, , showed nose not connected brain. made of tongue , explained how functioned. gave explanation semen , sleep.
500 bc. xenophanes (greek, 576–460 bc), disciple of pythagoras (?–497 bc), first recognized fossils animal remains , inferred presence on mountains indicated latter had once been beneath sea. if horses or oxen had hands , draw or make statues, horses represent forms of gods horses, oxen oxen. galen (130?–201?) revived interest in fossils had been rejected aristotle, , speculations of xenophanes again viewed favor.
470 bc. democritus of abdera (greek, 470–370 bc) made dissections of many animals , humans. first greek philosopher-scientist propose classification of animals, dividing them blooded animals (vertebrata) , bloodless animals (evertebrata). held lower animals had perfected organs , brain seat of thought.
460 bc. hippocrates (greek, 460?–377? bc), father of medicine , used animal dissections advance human anatomy. fifty books attributed him assembled in alexandria in 3rd century bc. these represent works of several authors, treatments given conservative.
440 bc. herodotus of halikarnassos (greek, 484–425 bc) treated exotic fauna in historia, accounts based on tall tales. explored nile, of ancient egyptian civilization lost living memory time.
384 bc. aristotle (greek, 384–322 bc) studied under plato, not reluctant disagree master. books historia animalium (9 books), de partibus animalium, , de generatione animalium set zoological stage centuries. emphasized value of direst observation, recognized law , order in biological phenomena, , derived conclusions inductively observed facts. believed there natural scale ran simple complex. made advances in area of marine biology, basing writings on keen observation , rational interpretation conversations local lesbos fishermen 2 years, beginning in 344 bc. account of male protection of eggs barking catfish scorned centuries until louis agassiz confirmed aristotle s description. aristotle s botanical works lost, of botanical student theophrastos of eresos (372–288 bc) still available (inquiry plants).
340 bc. plato (greek, 427–347 bc) held animals existed serve man, should not mistreated because lead people mistreat other people. others have echoed opinion st. thomas aquinas, immanuel kant, , albert schweitzer.


apollo sacred crow



323 bc. alexander great (macedonian, 356–323 bc) collected animals, perhaps old teacher aristotle, when not busy conquering known world. credited introduction of peacock europe. aside decorative tail feathers, peacock (a pheasant) eaten regularly europeans until arrival of turkey. (charlemagne said have served thousands @ single bash.)
95 bc. lucretius (titus lucretius carus) (roman, 96?–55 bc) spent whole life writing 1 poem (still unfinished), called de rerum natura, version of atomic theory, theory of heredity, etc.
70 bc. publius vergilius maro (virgil) (70–19 bc) famous roman poet. poems bucolics (42–37 bc) , georgics (37–30 bc) hold information on animal husbandry , farm life. aeneid (published posthumously) has many references zoology of time.
36 bc. marcus terentius varro (116–27 bc) wrote de re rustica, treatise includes apiculture. treated problem of sterility in mule , recorded rare instance in fertile mule bred.
50. lucius annaeus seneca (roman, 4 bc–ad 65), tutor roman emperor nero, maintained animals have no reason, instinct, stoic position. remarked on ability of glass globes filled water magnify small objects.


peacock endpapers vienna dioscurides



77. pliny elder (roman, 23–79) wrote historia naturalis in 37 volumes. work catch-all of zoological folklore, superstitions, , observations.
79. pliny younger (roman, 62–113), nephew of pliny elder, inherited uncle s notes , wrote on beekeeping.
100. plutarch (roman, 46?–120) stated animals behavior motivated reason , understanding. life of ant mirrors virtues of friendship, sociability, endurance, courage, moderation, prudence, , justice.
131. galen of pergamum (greek, 131?–201?), physician roman emperor marcus aurelius, wrote on human anatomy dissections of animals. texts used hundreds of years, gaining reputation of infallibility.
200 c. various compilers in post-classical , medieval times added physiologus (or, more popularly, bestiary), major book on animals hundreds of years. animals believed exist in order serve man, if not food or slaves moral examples.




^ charles a. reed. animal domestication in prehistoric near east: origins , history of domestication beginning emerge archeological excavations. science, vol. 130, no. 3389 (december 11, 1959), pp. 1629–1639
^ lascaux, visit cave.