Μολοσσός της Ηπείρου

Molossus or Molottus was the son of Neoptolemus (Pyhrrus) and therefore the grandson of Achilles. His mother was Andromache, the wife of Hector that Neoptolemus has taken as his share of loot from troy. Euripides has dealt with the myth of Molossus in one of his tragedies, Andromache. The child that his mother has abandoned was born in Fthia, where Neoptolemus has returned after the fall of Troy. He didn’t die thought. Once as he was going on a trip to Delphi, Neoptolemus found the child, took it with him and recognized it as legitimate.

However, Hermione, the daughter of Menelaus, and wife of Neoptolemus, was jealous of the child, because she could not bear children herself and wanted to kill both Andromache and Molossus. Andromache succeeded for some time to hide her son in the temple of Thetis, but Hermione discovered her secret and she was going to kill Andromache and Molossus when Pileus got involved and saved them both. Afterwards, he ordered Andromache to go and settle down with him to Epirus. There Andromache got married to Elenus, Hector’s brother, and Molossus succeeded him to the throne of Epirus and gave his name to the inhabitants of the country, the Molossians.

Historic origin

Any attempt to describe the origin of the “Molossus of Epirus” is almost impossible. Its historic route form ancient times till today can be characterized nothing but epic.

The poet Nicandrus writes about the Epirotan dogs that were made by the god of fire, Hephaestus. Plato mentions that the dog of Epirus is known from the Homeric Epic Poems.

Oppianus also mentions that they fought even with lions. The King of Epirus used them as war-dogs as well as Alexander the Great. According to other historians during the Persian Wars the dog of Epirus outbreed with Assyrian dogs.

The Tibetan Mastiff has also left its marks on the Molossus of Epirus. Alexander the Great contributed to the perfection of the Molossus. It is said that his dogs could fight with lions and bears.

After the battle of Pydna, the Romans took with them in Rome the best dogs and they were the base for the breeds of Cane Corso, Rottweiler etc.

Today in Greece the Molossus is raised for guarding the flocks and is the evolution of the ancient breed.

[img]http://www.molossos.gr/images/homep/agalma.jpg[/img]