Milly Gaines
The vegetarian diet has a long and diverse history, with early human food cultures being predominantly plant-based. The concept of vegetarianism has been influenced by various factors, including religious and philosophical beliefs, ethical concerns, and health considerations. The term vegetarian gained popularity in the mid-1800s, but the idea of a plant-based diet has been around for millennia. Ancient Indian religions like Jainism, Hinduism, and Buddhism encouraged a meat-free diet as early as the 5th or 6th century BCE, emphasizing nonviolence toward animals. In Ancient Greece, the philosopher Pythagoras promoted a largely vegetarian diet, and the term vegetarian may have been referred to as the Pythagorean Diet. The Vegetarian Society, formed in 1847, played a significant role in popularizing the term and concept of vegetarianism in the Western world.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | The recorded history of vegetarianism started in the 6th century BCE by followers of the Orphic mysteries |
| Location | Europe, Asia Minor, North Africa, Ethiopia, India |
| Influential figures | Pythagoras, Reverend William Cowherd, Dr William Lambe, Reverend Sylvester Graham, Reverend William Metcalfe, Amos Bronson Alcott, Joseph Brotherton, James Simpson, Mary Shelley, Carol J. Adams, Aang |
| Influential religions and philosophies | Orphic mysteries, Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, Judaism, Taoism |
| Reasons for adoption | Animal welfare, environmental ethics, health, opposition to killing, opposition to agricultural practices surrounding meat production |
Notes
- Pythagoras is considered the father of ethical vegetarianism and promoted a largely vegetarian diet around 500 BCE.
- Reverend William Cowherd established the Bible Christian Church in Salford and preached a famous sermon in 1809, extolling the benefits of a vegetable diet.
- Dr William Lambe promoted a plant-food-only diet and wrote about its benefits after adopting the diet himself in 1806.
- Reverend Sylvester Graham was influenced by the works of Dr William Lambe and promoted a meat-free diet.
- Reverend William Metcalfe's Philadelphia Bible Christian Church was visited by Reverend Sylvester Graham.
- Amos Bronson Alcott adopted a plant-based diet after visiting the school in the UK named for him.
- Joseph Brotherton took leadership of Reverend William Cowherd's church after his death and remained committed to the vegetable diet throughout his life. His wife, Martha, wrote the first cookbook for the diet.
- James Simpson was a wealthy cotton industrialist who was committed to the vegetable diet and supported Joseph Brotherton within the church.
- Mary Shelley's novel Frankenstein has been interpreted as containing a major theme of vegetarianism.
- Carol J. Adams is a writer and animal rights advocate who argued that Frankenstein was "indebted to the vegetarian climate" of its day.
- Aang, a character in the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra, is a vegetarian, which is consistent with the inspirations for the show of Buddhism, Hinduism, and Taoism.
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What You'll Learn
- The Ancient Greek philosopher Pythagoras is considered the father of ethical vegetarianism
- Early human food cultures were plant-based
- Religious groups and philosophers promoted the vegetarian diet in ancient times
- The vegetarian diet was called abstinence from beings with a soul in Ancient Greece
- Vegetarianism is deeply rooted in India's traditions and history
The Ancient Greek philosopher Pythagoras is considered the father of ethical vegetarianism
Vegetarianism has a long and rich history, with the concept of a plant-based diet being integral to many cultures and religions. In the ancient world, vegetarianism was often linked to philosophical and religious schools of thought, with the earliest references to a vegetarian diet coming from Homer (Odyssey 9, 82–104) and Herodotus (4, 177), who mention the Lotophagi (Lotus-eaters), an indigenous people on the North African coast, who lived on nothing but the fruits of a plant called lotus.
The Ancient Greek philosopher Pythagoras, who promoted a largely vegetarian diet around 500 BC, is considered the father of ethical vegetarianism. Pythagoras's teachings influenced vegetarian nutrition until the 19th century, and his name became synonymous with the diet, with vegetarianism frequently referred to as a Pythagorean Diet prior to the mid-1800s. The Greek philosopher's way of life was followed by a number of important personalities, and his ideas continue to shape vegetarianism today.
Pythagoras's philosophy centred on the belief that all creatures manifest the same life force and, therefore, merit equal care and compassion. This idea of nonviolence, or ahimsa, is deeply rooted in Indian philosophy and religion, with Hinduism, Jainism, and Buddhism advocating for a vegetarian way of life. In ancient India, people did not kill any living creature, nor did they drink intoxicating liquor or eat onions or garlic. This principle of nonviolence toward animals was an established rule in Jainism and Buddhism as early as the 6th century BCE, with the Jain concept possibly being even older.
The vegetarian lifestyle experienced a revival in Europe during the Renaissance, and it became a more widespread practice in the 19th and 20th centuries. The first vegetarian society was started in England in 1847, and the term "vegetarian" was popularised around this time. The formation of the Vegetarian Society was influenced by a range of reforming characters, including the Reverend William Cowherd and Dr William Lambe, who advocated for a move away from eating farmed animals.
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Early human food cultures were plant-based
This challenges the long-standing assumption that prehistoric human diets were primarily carnivorous, based on the interpretation of animal bones found in archaeological sites. While animal protein was also consumed, the presence of plant-based foods in early human diets was more significant than previously believed. This new understanding underscores the significance of plant foods in our ancestors' evolution and their deep connection to the natural environment.
The concept of vegetarianism as a deliberate way of life emerged later in history, with the earliest references to a vegetarian diet found in ancient Greek and European/Asian Minor texts. In Ancient Greece, vegetarianism was called "abstinence from beings with a soul," and was practised by specific philosophical schools and religious groups. The recorded history of vegetarian nutrition began in the 6th century BC with the followers of the Orphic mysteries, and it was further influenced by the Greek philosopher Pythagoras, considered the father of ethical vegetarianism.
In ancient India, vegetarianism was also encouraged by religious and philosophical traditions. Hinduism, with its belief in the sacredness of all life, and Buddhism, with its principle of nonviolence towards animals, have recommended vegetarianism since their conception. The ancient Vedic period texts, dating back to between 1500 and 500 BCE, permitted meat consumption but encouraged vegetarianism, and several Hindu texts advocate for a vegetarian diet.
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Religious groups and philosophers promoted the vegetarian diet in ancient times
Vegetarianism has a long history, with the diet being promoted by various religious groups and philosophers in ancient times.
In ancient Greece and Rome, cereals, vegetables, and fruit composed much of the diet. The first philosopher in the West to create a lasting vegetarian legacy was Pythagoras, who taught that all animals, not just humans, had souls, which were immortal and reincarnated after death. Since a human might become an animal at death, and an animal might become a human, Pythagoras believed that killing and eating non-human animals sullied the soul and prevented union with a higher form of reality. He also felt that eating meat was unhealthy and made humans more aggressive. Other early Greek philosophers who promoted vegetarianism include Empedocles, Plutarch, and Seneca.
In the age of the Roman Empire, prominent Platonists and Neo-Platonists who followed a vegetarian diet included Apollonius of Tyana, Plotinus, and Porphyry. Porphyry wrote a treatise, "On Abstinence from Eating Animals", the most elaborate ancient pro-vegetarian text known. He argued that meat-eating encouraged violence, demonstrated the ability of animals to reason, and that justice should be extended to them. He also believed that killing an animal was no different from taking the life of a human being, and that animal life was equal to that of a human.
In ancient India, Jainism, Hinduism, and Buddhism all had established rules promoting nonviolence toward animals as early as the 6th century BCE. In Jainism, vegetarianism is mandatory for everyone, and Jains try to avoid unnecessary injury to plants and minuscule organisms. In Hinduism and Buddhism, vegetarianism is promoted by scriptures and religious authorities but is not mandatory.
In the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, vegetarianism has not traditionally been viewed as mainstream. However, there are references in the Bible to a herbivore diet, and some Jews, Christians, and Muslims practice and advocate for vegetarianism. Medieval rabbis such as Joseph Albo and Isaac Arama regarded vegetarianism as a moral ideal, and modern Jewish groups such as Jewish Veg and the Shamayim V'Aretz Institute promote veganism in the Jewish community. In the United States, there were small groups of Christian vegetarians in the 18th century, and Benjamin Franklin was a vegetarian for a time, introducing tofu to America in 1770.
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The vegetarian diet was called abstinence from beings with a soul in Ancient Greece
Vegetarianism has a long and fascinating history, with the concept of abstaining from meat consumption being traced back to ancient civilisations. In Ancient Greece, the vegetarian diet was known as "abstinence from beings with a soul", reflecting a philosophical and ethical perspective on food choices. This belief in the presence of a soul in all beings shaped the Ancient Greek understanding of vegetarianism and set it apart from simply being a dietary preference.
The earliest references to vegetarianism in Ancient Greece can be found in the works of Homer and Herodotus, who mentioned the Lotophagi (Lotus-eaters), an indigenous people on the North African coast who, according to Herodotus, survived solely on the fruits of a plant called the lotus. This depiction of a meatless diet, though outside the Greek civilisation, marked the earliest European or Asian Minor references to vegetarianism. Within the Greek context, the earliest reliable evidence for vegetarian theory and practice dates back to the 6th century BCE, coinciding with the emergence of the Orphic mysteries.
The Greek philosopher Pythagoras, born in 580 BCE, is considered a pivotal figure in the history of vegetarianism. Pythagoras is renowned not only for his mathematical and scientific contributions but also for his philosophical beliefs, which included the concept that all animals, not just humans, possessed souls that were immortal and reincarnated after death. This belief led Pythagoras to abstain from meat, as he felt that killing and consuming animals sullied the soul and prevented union with a higher form of reality. Thus, he is often regarded as one of the earliest proponents of ethical vegetarianism.
Pythagoras's ideas influenced other Greek philosophers, including Plato, who, in his work "The Republic", presented the concept of an ideal city that was vegetarian. Plato's character Socrates argued that meat was a luxury leading to decadence and war. However, it is important to note that Plato's teachings also asserted that only humans had immortal souls, setting his philosophy apart from Pythagoras's belief in the soul's presence in all beings.
In addition to philosophers, religious groups also played a role in shaping the vegetarian landscape in Ancient Greece. The concept of non-violence towards animals, known as "ahimsa" in India, was promoted by certain religious sects in Greece, contributing to the emergence of vegetarian practices. The influence of these philosophical and religious ideas led to a small but dedicated group of practitioners who embraced vegetarianism as a way of life, demonstrating that the Ancient Greek understanding of vegetarianism as "abstinence from beings with a soul" had a profound impact on their society and culture.
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Vegetarianism is deeply rooted in India's traditions and history
Vegetarianism is a way of life for a significant number of people in India, with the country having more vegetarians than the rest of the world combined. It is estimated that 20-42% of India's population is vegetarian, while less than 30% are regular meat-eaters. India's roots of vegetarianism can be traced back to 2300 BCE with the founding of Hinduism, one of the oldest religions in the world.
Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, all ancient religions that originated in India, have recommended a vegetarian way of life since their conception. The Vedas, the oldest and sacred texts of Hinduism, assert that all creatures manifest the same life force and therefore merit equal care and compassion. The three main ideas that influence the idea of eating animals in Hinduism are Ahimsa, Dharma, and Karma. Ahimsa is defined as “the law of non-injury, non-violence and non-killing as part of dharma”, and it extends to animals. Dharma means 'duty', 'virtue', 'morality', and 'religion', and it refers to the power that upholds the universe and society. The law of Karma is a universal law that believes that what we do unto others will ultimately come back to us.
In ancient India, Brahmins, the priests of the highest caste, often adhered to vegetarian diets guided by the Sattva philosophy. The vegetarian lifestyle was also closely connected with the idea of nonviolence toward animals (called ahimsa in India), and was promoted by religious groups and philosophers.
The history of vegetarianism in India was also influenced by the concept of the Guṇa—a central term in Hindu philosophy that refers to qualities or attributes. It was believed that the three Guṇas—Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas—manifested in the forms of "vegetarian," "spicy," and "meaty" foods, respectively.
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Frequently asked questions
No one person created the vegetarian diet. The concept of vegetarianism has existed for thousands of years and has been influenced by various religious and philosophical beliefs.
Hinduism, Jainism, Buddhism, and some Jewish and Christian groups have influenced the creation and spread of the vegetarian diet.
The Greek philosopher Pythagoras, Reverend William Cowherd, Dr. William Lambe, Reverend Sylvester Graham, and Reverend William Metcalfe are some historical figures who influenced the creation and spread of the vegetarian movement.
The term "vegetarian" became popular in the mid-1800s. Before that, the vegetarian diet was often referred to as the Pythagorean Diet after the Greek philosopher Pythagoras, who advocated for a largely vegetarian diet around 500 BC.
