From Survival to Sovereignty: Fish in Early Human History

Long before cattle, sheep, pigs, or dogs became domesticated staples, fish emerged as one of humanity’s earliest and most reliable sources of animal protein. This aquatic bounty sustained hunter-gatherer societies and fueled the expansion of seafaring civilizations. In East Asia, the nomadic Xianbei people initially relied on fishing for survival before expanding onto the steppes to absorb remnants of the Xiongnu confederation, ultimately becoming major power brokers during the chaotic Sixteen Kingdoms period.

The Khitan people of the Liao Dynasty elevated fish to political symbolism through their annual First Fish Banquet, where the emperor asserted dominance over eastern territories. The 1112 banquet proved historic when Wanyan Aguda, chieftain of the Jurchen tribes, defiantly refused to dance for Emperor Tianzuo. This act of rebellion exposed Liao weakness and foreshadowed the Jurchen revolt in 1114 that would topple the empire within a decade. The modern Diaoyutai State Guesthouse in Beijing traces its name to the Jurchen rulers’ fishing palaces.

Mediterranean Gold: Fish as Economic Engine

While fish played relatively minor roles in Chinese warfare (excepting the assassination of King Liao of Wu during a fish meal), Western civilizations transformed piscine resources into strategic commodities. Greek colonists established Black Sea settlements where fishing, alongside timber and grain, formed economic pillars. Pontic fish preserved with local salt became Mediterranean luxury goods, with jars fetching two denarii in Republican Rome. This trade built Pontus into a regional power capable of challenging Rome under Mithridates VI.

Roman gastronomy elevated fish consumption to unprecedented levels. The Mediterranean’s bounty included tuna, sardines, anchovies, and sturgeon, prepared through boiling, freezing, or roasting. Garum, a fermented fish sauce, became an essential (and expensive) condiment. Wealthy Romans constructed elaborate fishponds, with figures like Hortensius treating their mullets as pets rather than food. Lucullus, conqueror of Pontus, built marine aqueducts and breakwaters for his fish tanks, earning Cicero’s mocking label of “piscinarii” (fish fanatics).

Faith and Fins: Christianity’s Piscine Paradox

The fall of Rome saw fish assume spiritual significance under Christianity. With 140-200 annual meatless days during Lent and weekly fasts, fish became the protein of piety. The notorious lamprey claimed King Henry I of England, whose choking death in 1135 triggered civil war. Medieval Europeans consumed bream, herring, salmon, and cod, though inland populations mostly ate salted varieties.

Urbanization during the late Middle Ages depleted local fisheries, creating demand that the Hanseatic League would exploit. Their cog ships and Baltic herring operations generated enormous wealth, with the fish nicknamed “Baltic silver.” When Denmark’s Valdemar IV attacked Hanseatic offices in 1361, the League retaliated by sacking Copenhagen. Though initially allied with Sweden, the Hanseatic fleet suffered defeat when Swedish support failed to materialize.

The Herring Hegemonies: North Sea Power Struggles

The 15th century witnessed a piscine migration that shifted European power dynamics. Herring abandoned Baltic spawning grounds for the North Sea, transferring economic advantage to the Dutch. William Beukelszoon’s 1368 innovation—removing gills and guts with a single knife stroke—revolutionized preservation. Burgundian rulers encouraged Dutch fishermen to challenge Hanseatic dominance, even sponsoring piracy against League members.

England’s “Herring Battle” (1429) demonstrated fish’s military value during the Hundred Years’ War. Sir John Fastolf’s wagon fort of salted herring barrels protected English longbowmen who decimated Franco-Scottish forces. Later “Herring Wars” (1468-1474) saw England clash with Denmark over Icelandic fishing rights during the Wars of the Roses.

Naval Ambitions: Fish and the Rise of Maritime Powers

Elizabeth I recognized fish’s role in naval development. By reviving fish consumption during Lent (despite Protestant reforms), she stimulated England’s fishing industry to train sailors for eventual Dutch Wars. English fishermen encroached on Hanseatic waters as the League declined, while Dutch merchant fleets—ten times larger than England’s—dominated European shipping.

The three Anglo-Dutch Wars (1652-1674) partially stemmed from fishing disputes, proving that control of piscine resources could make or break empires. From the Black Sea to the North Atlantic, the humble fish had shaped migration patterns, toppled dynasties, and built naval supremacy—a legacy still evident in modern geopolitics and gastronomy.