In ancient Rome, mules were used for transport and their amazing strength and endurance was known to all. Roman soldiers were known to carry great quantities of equipment, armor, and rations over great distances on foot. When General Marius was called upon to defend Rome against the invading barbarians, he trained his soldiers to undertake amazing physical feats. Every legion had a baggage train of 500–550 mules, or about 1 mule for every 10 legionaries.

Imam Ali (PBUH) said: Surely, the completion of religion is due to the obtaining of knowledge and acting on it (accordingly), and beware that the obtaining of knowledge is more obligatory for you than earning wealth.

The mule was well known to Homer in 800 BC Greece. He reported in the Iliad, the arrival of mules from Henetia in Asia Minor, where breeding them was a local specialty. Mules were also bred in Greece in Homer’s time to be used as draft animals and in farming. Later on, mules were raised in Peloponnesus and Arcadia, and harness races for mules began in Olympia in 500 BC. Such races were run throughout a period of more than 80 years.

Imam al-Sadiq (PBUH) said: Safeguard your writings and books because soon the occasion will arise that you will be in need of them.

Imam Ali (PBUH) said: Acquiring knowledge is not possible while the body (person) is tranquil.

The mule was highly valued in ancient Greece as well, for use as pack animals and to draw carriages. While boats were used when traveling long distances in ancient Greece, as the country was partially a group of islands, the average citizen rarely left their home area and depended upon the mule as the most common mode of transportation. Mules had much harder hooves than horses and were better suited to cover the rocky terrain found in Greece.

In the kingdom of Mari in northern Mesopotamia, the story was told that the King was reprimanded and asked to "Please …use a mule instead of the common horse", as his royal position demanded.

People of ancient Ethiopia gave the mule the highest status of all the animals.

Imam Zayn-al-Abideen (PBUH) said: Were people aware of what lies in the obtainment of knowledge, they would pursue it even though they had to make voyages and endanger their lives to obtain it.

The Holy Prophet (Peace be upon him and his progeny) said: The virtue of knowledge is more beloved with Allah than the virtue of worship.

To the north in Asia Minor, the Hittites were the most powerful of the early horse-people - - but they considered the mule to be at least three times more valuable in price than even a good chariot horse.

Sumerian texts from the third millennium BC stated the price of a mule was 20 to 30 shekels, seven times that of a donkey. At Ebla, the average price for a mule was 60 shekels.