Mosaic of Bull Sacrifice

This mosaic (late 1st–early 2nd c. AD), from the Caserma dei Vigili, shows a bull restrained for sacrifice as an officiant lifts an axe. It likely depicts the Roman suovetaurilia — a state ritual of animal sacrifice for purification and divine favor. The image underscores the Vigiles’ dual civic role as firefighters and participants in official religious ceremonies.