What kind of pets were kept in ancient Rome?

As now, one of the most common pets among the ancient Romans was the dog. In the ruins of Pompeii, an inscription on the wall was found: “cave canem.” It warned visitors that a dog guarded the home, just as one might see a sign nowadays that reads: “Beware of the dog.” The Romans bred a special type of large guard dogs, which protected public establishments and the villas of the wealthy at night. Fashionable patrician women kept small dogs, similar to modern-day greyhounds. There were also guide dogs in Ancient Rome, as evidenced by an found image of such a dog leading its…