The Kingdom of Neptune
The next hall—following on from the one above—is the sea hall. Neptune astride his hippocamps, fishermen and fish, assorted sea-creatures—all present and accounted for.
For the record, this hall amounts to nothing less than an ancient encyclopaedia of ichthyology. The Roman mosaic work here achieves remarkable precision: biologists still identify, from these very images, species of fish and molluscs that inhabited the Mediterranean two thousand years ago.
Why the Sea?
For Roman Carthage, the sea was not mere scenery but the chief source of wealth. From here, ships set sail for Rome laden with wheat and the celebrated sauce known as garum.
Looking at the sheer abundance of fish on these mosaics, one understands there was no shortage of raw material for this “ancient ketchup.” Garum was made from fish innards fermented—to put it plainly, left to rot in the sun—with salt and herbs. The smell at the production sites was such that the workshops were banished beyond the city walls, yet in Rome an amphora of good Libyan garum could fetch a small fortune.
What We See on the Walls and Floor
- Master of the Elements: A majestic Neptune taming his sea-horses stood for the Empire’s mastery over the sea lanes.
- Scenes from Daily Life: Fishermen in their boats, casting their nets—snapshots of everyday antiquity.
- A Gastronomic Atlas: Octopuses, cuttlefish, spiny lobsters, and sea urchins are laid out with such care that one might mistake the whole for the menu of a fine fish restaurant in the Maghreb.
