Romans and Their Dogs

Dogs played a familiar role in the lives of people during the Roman Empire. They served a wide range of purposes from guarding homes to providing companionship. While many of the breeds that exist today were not yet developed, Roman dogs came in many forms and were valued for their abilities, loyalty, and presence.

Miriam adopts a dog in “The Mistress,” one of nine stories in The Deadliest Deceptions. But it’s in “The Missing Widow,” the last story in th​e collection, that she encourages her pet to see whether Phoebe’s missing neighbor might have been buried in the widow's own yard. Phoebe narrates the story:

After Miriam gave the playful mutt a scratch behind its ears and murmured an encouraging word, it wiggled out of her arms and scampered through the gate.

My friend stood in the center of the yard, her eyes following the pooch as it sniffed the ground. … When we were convinced nothing had been buried in the yard, we passed through the gate into the alley, the dog bounding out after us. It jittered around Miriam before sitting on its haunches and looking up at her with its dark pearl-like eyes.

My friend patted its head. “Such a good little doggie you are. And just for that, you’re going to get a treat.”

Who would guess that going to the butcher shop for a treat would shed light on what happened to Phoebe's neighbor? To find out, click here.