Mosaic of Bull Sacrifice
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Mosaic of Bull Sacrifice

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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.