Piazza Armerina

Magistriprocurator ad elephantosVenatores immunes UrsariiVivarium/vivaria

Syrian GoddessSol Invictus

Zoo traditions in the ancient world

- Assyrians- Pharaohs- Ptolemies- Rome

- Elites and emperors- Syrian Goddess- Sol Invictus

Roman empire showing location of Assyria

Temples of Sol Invictus and the Syrian Goddess and their precincts (located in Trastevere)

Syrian Goddess riding a lion (Coin of Philip II, reg. 244-49)

(Photo: Classical Numismatic Group)

Antonius Proculus to Valerianus. Write the note to say that from the month of Agrippina until now we have been hunting every species of wild animals and birds for a year under the orders of the prefects. We have given what we caught to Cerealis and he sent them and all the equipment to you...

Papyrus from Egypt (late 1st/early 2nd century CE)

Piazza Armerina

Piazza Armerina, Sicily, 4th century

How to catch a tiger (mosaic, Piazza Armerina)

Wagon for transporting captured animals (mosaic, Piazza Armerina)

Capturing a rhino (Piazza Armerina)

Elephant covered in a net, pulled by chains( Piazza Armerina)

Animals being carried on board (Piazza Armerina)

Ostia and Rome

Vivaria in and near Rome

Porta Maggiore (Porta Praenestina)Porta Labicana (?)Elephants: Ardea and Laurentum

Porta Maggiore/Praestina, Rome, where the vivaria were close to

Trailblazers in Rome M. Curius Dentatus: elephants (275)Pompey the Great: elephants in harness (80, 81, or 79 BCE)

rhino (the elephant’s deadly enemy!)Julius Caesar: giraffes;

elephants carrying torches in triumph (46 BCE)Mark Antony: lions in harness (46 BCE)Emperor Tiberius: elephants on tightropesGermanicus: dining and dancing elephants (12 CE)Septimius Severus: zebras

Coin of Antoninus Pius, showing elephant with legend saying munifcentia Aug. (148-9 CE)