Classical Cats: The Rise and Fall of the Sacred Cat

Domesticated cats were the bulwark of western societies' defense against rodents and the many diseases they carry, including typhus and the bubonic plague. Cats were also important religious symbols for the goddess Artemis of the Greeks, Diana of the Romans and the Greco-Egyptian goddess, Isis. In this beautifully illustrated book, Donald Engels traces the history and significance of the cat from ancient Egypt to the middle ages, exploring such phenomena as the worship of the Egyptian cat goddess Bastet, the infamous cat massacres and witch hunts of the eleventh century and their role in combatting disease and starvation. Classical Cats presents a unique and entertaining view of cat history.