Mosaic with Elephant and Exotic Animals

This floor mosaic (c. 3rd c. AD) from a statio (a commercial office) in the Piazzale delle Corporazioni, features an elephant, a leaping gazelle or deer, and a hunting dog. Such imagery evoked the exoticism of Rome’s trade networks and the spectacle of imported animals used in games. It symbolized both commercial power and imperial reach across continents.