A Roman Bestiary

Bees, Courtyard of the Palazzo della Sapienza, Rome
Courtyard of the Palazzo della Sapienza
From birds and bees to dolphins and dragons, the buildings and monuments in the heart of Rome sport a fine array of creatures great and small. 

Thanks to the prolific patronage of Pope Urban VIII (r. 1623-44), the bee is by far the most ubiquitous creature. Urban VIII was a member of the Barberini family, whose coat of arms sports three bees, hence their profusion throughout the Eternal City. 
Mosaic of She-wolf suckling Romulus and Remus, Stazione Ostiense, Rome
Stazione Ostiense
Given the legend of the foundation of Rome, it is no surprise to see a wolf, usually in the act of suckling the twins Romulus and Remus. Images of a suckling she-wolf date often back to the reign of Benito Mussolini, Italy's fascist ruler from 1922 to 1943, who was keen to promote references to the glory of ancient Rome. 
Bas-relief of an eagle from Trajan's Forum, portico of Santi Apostoli, Rome
Portico of Santi XII Apostoli
As the emblem of Jupiter, the greatest of the Roman gods, the eagle (aquila in Latin) also has a long history. The eagle was the emblem of the ancient Roman state and its military, symbolising power and authority. 

​A 2nd century bas-relief of an imperial eagle from Trajan's Forum can be found in the portico of the church of Santi XII Apostoli.
An eagle crowns an entrance to Villa Borghese, Rome
Villa Borghese
Fast forward to the 17th century and the eagle, always accompanied by a dragon, make up the coat of arms of the Borghese family to which Pope Paul V (r. 1605-23), another important patron of the arts, belonged. 
An eagle forms part of the coat of arms of Pope Pius XI, San Carlo al Corso, Rome
San Carlo al Corso
300 years later the eagle reappears as part of the coat of arms of Pope Pius XI (r. 1922-39), another prolific patron. 
An image of an eagle flanked by two fasces, Ponte Matteotti (formerly Ponte del Littorio), Rome
Ponte Matteotti (formerly Ponte del Littorio)
As with the wolf, the eagle is also taken up at the same time by Mussolini.  On the Ponte Matteotti (formerly Ponte Littorio) an eagle, its wings outstretched, is flanked by the fasces, the ancient Roman symbol that Mussolini adopted for the political party he set up in 1919. the Fasci Italiani di Combattimento.
Bronze Image of Eagle, She-wolf and Romulus and Remus, Piazza d' Arcacoeli, Rome
Piazza d' Aracoeli
An image of the eagle, she-wolf and twins, which dates back to the Fascist period (1922-43) can still be seen in Piazza d' Aracoeli. Alas, one of the twins has disappeared!
Elephant & Obelisk, Piazza Santa Maria sopra Minerva, Rome
Piazza Santa Maria sopra Minerva
A 17th century elephant supports an ancient Egyptian obelisk in Piazza Santa Maria sopra Minerva.
A rampant goat, the heraldic symbol of the Altemps family, crowns the Palazzo Altemps in Rome
Palazzo Altemps
A goat crowns the altana of Palazzo Altemps.
Winged lion of St Mark, Palazzo delle Assicurazioni Generali, Rome
Palazzo delle Assicurazioni Generali, Piazza Venezia
The winged lion is the symbol of Venice, which is why it appears on the Palazzo delle Assicurazioni Generali, the offices of a Venetian company, in Piazza Venezia. 
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Fountain of the Four Lions, Piazza del Popolo
One of the four lions of the Fontana dei Leoni  in Piazza del Popolo.
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Portico, Santi XII Apostoli
My candidate for the saddest lion in Rome stands outside the entrance to the church of Santi XII Apostoli.
Stone falcon, facade of the Palazzo Falconieri, Via Giulia, Rome.
Palazzo Falconieri, Via Giulia
One of the two falcons that adorn the Palazzo Falconieri inVia Giulia. 
A Dove Crowns the Obelisk in Piazza Navona in Rome
Obelisk, Piazza Navona
A dove clasping a twig of laurel in its beak is part of the coat of arms of the Pamphilj family, to which Pope Innocent X (r. 1644-55) belonged. Such a dove crowns the ancient Egyptian obelisk in Piazza Navona, which is part of the Fountain of the Four Rivers, which was commissioned by Innocent X from Gianlorenzo Bernini. 
Dragon pointer, clock-face of the church of Sant' Atanasio dei Greci, Rome
Sant' Atanasio dei Greci, Via del Babuino
The pointer of the clock on Sant' Atanasio dei Greci takes the form of a dragon, the centrepiece of the coat of arms of Pope Gregory XIII (r. 1572-85), who had the church built. 
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Basilica of Neptune
Dolphins are part of one of the few decorative details of the ancient Basilica of Neptune (?), which stands behind the Pantheon. 
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Fountain of the Turtles, Piazza Mattei
One of the four bronze turtles of the Fountain of the Turtles in Piazza Mattei. 
A stone 'cat' sits on a cornice of the Palazzo Grazioli, Via della Gatta, Rome
Palazzo Grazioli, Via della Gatta
A stone 'cat' sits on a cornice of the Palazzo Grazioli  in Via della Gatta. The cat in question, in spite of having the street named after it, is, in fact, a type of monkey, and probably came from the nearby Temple of Isis. 
A Bear surmounts the entrance to a palazzo in Via Giuseppe Zanardelli, Rome
Via Giuseppe Zanardelli, 7
A bear surmounts the entrance to a palazzo in Via Giuseppe Zanardelli. 
A pair of dolphins, Piazza del Popolo, Rome
Piazza del Popolo
Pairs of dolphins, their tails intertwined, adorn the perimeter of Piazza del Popolo. 
Pelican feeding its chicks, Palazzo Santacroce, Rome
Palazzo Santacroce
Pelicans primarily symbolise self-sacrifice, charity and protective nurturing. This is rooted in an ancient belief that a mother pelican feeds her young with her own blood. In Christian iconography, this myth represents Christ’s passion and the Eucharist. 

A pelican feeding its chicks, often referred to as a 'Pelican in Piety', can be seen on the Palazzo Santacroce. The motto of the Santacroce family was SANGUINI NON PARCIT VERUS AMOR (True love does not spare blood).