Ancient Warfare Podcast · The History Network

War Pigs

January 30, 2026·12 min·1 clip

Polyaenus describes how Megarians daubed swine with pitch, set them on fire, and let them loose to panic Antigonus's elephants.

Host Murray investigates a listener's question about the historical evidence for 'war pigs'—specifically, whether flaming or squealing pigs were actually used in ancient battles to panic war elephants. He analyzes key sources from Polyaenus, Aelian, and Procopius, tracing mentions from the 3rd century BC to the 6th century AD, and questions why this peculiar tactic persists in popular imagination despite its rarity.

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from Ancient Warfare Podcast