Elephants at War

6 Facts about Elephants

• Elephants live in the foothills of North Africa, South Africa and Southeast Asia.
• Elephants are large mammals that are herbivores 
• They use their ears to control body temperature
• Elephants can live up to 70years in the wild
• Their ivory tusks are for personal defense in nature as well as moving objects and digging
• One of the biggest threats to elephants is the ivory trade

In ancient times elephants were used for warfare. Used to terrify the enemy's horses and break up dense groups of warriors, they were given wine or alcohol before the battle.  With speeds of 40 to 45km per hour just before the attack men would jab them in there ankles causing them to become furious towards the opponent. Sometimes the elephants would be so mad they would turn on their own masters. Many had castles like structure on their backs where several warriors would be housed. A Mahout would direct the elephant in battle. War elephants had daggers attached to their trunks as well as it's tusks. The site of these enormous beasts would cause the soldiers to flee. There was a variety of North African and Syrian elephants both of which are now extinct do to over-hunting for their ivory and use in Roman gladiator games.

1 Maccabees 6:30

“So that the number of his army was an hundred thousand footmen, and twenty thousand horsemen, and two and thirty elephants exercised in battle.”