What makes a molossus dog?
Some say the Molossus was a very large, muscular dog with thick legs and a wide chest. Others say that the Molossus was more of a sighthound type of dog with straight, tall legs and long ears.
What breeds make up a molossus?
This group mainly includes bully breeds, mastiffs, and anything that derived from those two subgroups over time. Defining the word Molosser is agreed upon by most as these dogs were named after the Molossi tribes in which these dogs originated.
Is a Molosser a mastiff?
There are many different mastiff breeds but only one true Mastiff which also belongs to a group of dogs called Molossers. The Mastiff is sometimes referred to as the English Mastiff or Old English Mastiff but the official name of the breed is Mastiff.
Is a pitbull a Molosser?
History of Pit Bulls Pit Bulls are derived from an ancient Greek dog breed called the Molosser. Molossers had short muzzles, large bones, and pendant-shaped ears. These characteristics are seen in their many descendants today, which is why people often have trouble telling bully breeds apart from one another.
What kind of dog did the Molossians have?
The Molossians revered their dogs so much that they issued silver coinage with an image of a Molossus as their emblem. The Molossians kept dogs of two distinct types, one a hunting dog with a broad muzzle which is sometimes considered the ancestor to the modern mastiff type, the other a large livestock guardian dog.
Who are the famous people of the Molossus?
The Molossus were famous throughout the ancient world for their size and ferocity and were frequently mentioned in ancient literature. They were mentioned in the writings of Aristophanes,, Aristotle, Grattius, Horace, Lucan, Lucretius, Martial, Nemesianus, Oppian of Apamea, Plautus, Seneca, Statius, and Virgil. Suda also mentioned it.
How much does a Molossus dog cost in Italy?
Although this ancient breed is extinct, some breeders are looking to recreate the ancient molossus by crossing existing molosser breeds. These “Molossus” pups from Italy can cost $5,000 each.
What did the ancient Greeks use the Molossus for?
Some scholars contend the Molossus was used by the Ancient Greeks for fighting. Described as having a wide, short muzzle and a heavy dewlap (similar to modern Mastiff breeds), the Molossus was used to fight tigers, lions, elephants, and men in battle.
