Roman mosaic showing transport of animals to games

A detail of a large mosaic floor in the Roman luxury estate Villa Romana del Casale in Sicily. The fragment shows the scene of transporting animals to the Games and proves how complicated the operation was to organize the ludii.

The mosaic fragment shows a cart (angaria) pulled by two bulls; this transport vehicle served in the postal system (cursus publicus), but in this case officials used public facilities to avoid costs. On the right, the centurion’s side falls in turn on the terrified man (probably a slave); it is possible that he was fined for delays.
It should be noted that the scene takes place in North Africa, and the mosaic previously showed the scene of capturing panthers.

Read more

Agrippina the Younger Wars of second triumvirate Great Roman civil war Claudius War of Spartacus