Roman Army Crossing a Bridge of Boats, Trajan's Column, Montfaucon, 1722

This is an original antique copper engraving, uncolored, a double page folding plate from Montfaucon's Antiquity Explained, and Represented in Sculptures, printed in London by J. Tonson and J. Watts in 1722. The large upper scene shows Roman soldiers crossing water on a bridge laid over boats, with lattice railings along its sides, coming out of an arched gateway at the left. The soldiers carry their helmets slung and bundles on poles over their shoulders, with curved rectangular shields; standard bearers carry standards topped with open hands, discs, an eagle and small figure panels, men in cuirasses walk at the right, and poles topped with axes rise above them. Below, the left scene shows a close fight between soldiers with helmets and oval shields, with fallen men on the ground, and the right scene shows horsemen riding out from a walled town toward a group on foot that includes women and children.

The two lower scenes are each captioned "Col, Trajane", meaning Trajan's Column in Rome; the upper scene carries no caption. The figures are numbered 1 to 3. The corners read "Page 67" at top right, "Vol IV" at foot left and "Plate 18" at foot right.

Bernard de Montfaucon (1655 to 1741) was a French Benedictine monk and scholar. His L'Antiquité expliquée et représentée en figures appeared in Paris in 1719; the English translation by David Humphreys, Antiquity Explained, and Represented in Sculptures, was printed in London by J. Tonson and J. Watts in 1722. The fourth volume treats war, from the dress and arms of the soldier through the camp and the march, and this plate belongs to that part of the work. Montfaucon set figures copied from ancient monuments side by side and engraved the name of each source beside its figure.

The bridge of boats fills the upper half and makes a clear centerpiece for a long wall.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.