• Origins of Vegetarianism
• Dark Times Strengthen Vegetarian Ideals
• Vegetarianism Gets Organised

ORIGINS OF VEGETARIANISM

• Many people can be forgiven for believing that adopting a vegetarian diet is a modern fad when the actual truth of the matter is that the veggie philosophy was actively encouraged many centuries ago. Egyptian religious groups practiced a vegetarian ideology as early as 3200 BC whilst other age-old beliefs, such as Hinduism and especially Eastern religions, regarded abstention from meat as a focal point to their doctrine of non-violence and respect for all living creatures.



• The Greek philosopher and mathematician Pythagoras, who lived towards the end of the 6th century BC, is attributed with the mantle of being the first prominent modern vegetarian. The Pythagorean religion included a diet that avoided the consumption of the flesh of slaughtered animals believing that both the killing and eating of a living being tainted the mortal soul with brutality.



• Furthermore, the morality of Pythagorean ethics encouraged the creation of all-encompassing laws to illegalise the killing of living creatures, animal sacrifices, blood sports and, of course, the eating of meat. Pythagoras not only saw vegetarianism as the key to peaceful human co-existence but also recognised the health advantages of a meat-free diet.



• Many of the other distinguished Ancient Greek ‘thinkers’ such as Socrates, Aristotle and Plato shared Pythagoras’ views on animal cruelty. Unfortunately, vegetarianism wasn’t held in similar regards within the realms of Ancient Rome, as it was a culture that advocated the slaughter of animals for sport and spectacle, whilst consuming tons of meat in their gregarious feasts - all on a regular basis!



• The Romans viewed vegetarianism as a subversive ideology and, therefore, the Pythagoreans would keep the details of their diet to themselves for fear of persecution by the authorities and fellow citizens. Nevertheless, vegetarianism did manage to spread throughout the Roman Empire thanks to philosophical and religious influences permeating into the culture.