Ancient War Elephant Bone Found…Researchers Think It Could Be From the Carthaginian War

In 2019 there was an emergency archeological excavation in Córdoba that was so significant that its findings have only recently been revealed. Experts at the University of Cordoba in the Andalusian region of Spain were involved in examining the findings. They included a bone that was confirmed to be the capitatum bone (the human equivalent would be a wrist bone) of an African or Indian elephant. This may indicate that elephants were in this area between the 4^th and 2^nd century B.C. It may date from the period of the Punic Wars. These were a series of wars between the Roman Republic and the Carthaginian (Punic) empire. They resulted in the Romans taking over the western Mediterranean. However, the interpretation of the archeological finds is still ongoing.

When Were Animals First Used in Wars?

People have been using animals to help them fight wars since prehistoric times. The first to be used were probably horses and dogs and there are ancient records of warlords charging around in horse-drawn chariots.

Since then, a wide range of species have been recruited. Pigeons were used to carry messages from the 6^th century B.C. The Persian king Cyrus used pigeons to communicate with different locations in his empire. Camels are still used by some military patrol units in deserts and mountainous regions. They are useful in military situations because they can endure long marches in harsh conditions. The first recorded use of camels for warfare was in 853 B.C. by the Arab king Gindibu.

How Big Are Elephants?

We don’t know if the elephant remains found at this site belonged to an African or Asian elephant. African elephants can be divided into savanna elephants and forest elephants. Savanna elephants can grow to over 13,500 pounds in weight and reach 13 feet in height. Whereas forest elephants grow to just over 3,200 pounds in weight and reach around 9 feet in height. Males are heavier than females. Asian elephants grow to around 12,000 pounds in weight and reach around 10 feet in height. Overall, elephants are the largest land mammal on earth and it is not surprising that our ancestors utilized them in conflicts.

How Often Were Elephants Used in Warfare?

Elephants are large enough to plow through any formation of enemy troops. Not only could they effectively trample your opponent, but they could also pierce them with their tusks. They could even throw them around with their trunks. The animals used during conflicts were usually supplied with armor so that they could not be injured by the enemy’s weapons.

They were first used around the 4^th century B.C. We know that they were used to fight against the Romans. Later, the Romans used elephants themselves to conquer Spain and Britain. In some countries, they still fulfill ceremonial military roles, but they are not used in active combat anymore.

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