Roman Soldiers on Engraved Gems and Inscribed Tombstones, Montfaucon, 1722

This is an original antique copper engraving, uncolored, a single page plate from the fourth volume of Montfaucon's Antiquity Explained, printed in London by J. Tonson and J. Watts in 1722. At top left is a relief of a soldier in plumed helmet, cuirass and cloak, one arm stretched out holding a branch, beside a horse, with part of a second figure at the edge. Next to it stands an arched tombstone with a man in tunic and cloak holding a staff, a star and a crescent above him. Five oval gems follow: a helmeted soldier with spear, shield and a standard of discs; a soldier carrying a body over his shoulders; a youth holding a helmet; a helmeted soldier with a shield; and a nude soldier with a shield bending over a helmet. At the foot are two tall tombstones, each with a soldier in tunic and cloak standing in a niche, one beside an eagle on a column, the other under two eagles.

The epitaph under the first tombstone reads AVR.IVLIANVS.EVOK.EX BNF. SALARIOR.VIIII.CHOR.III VIX ANN.XXXII.MIL.ANN.XXVIIII. NAT.DACIA.IVLIA.VRSA. PATRI.B.M.F. The second begins M.AVR LVCIANO MILITI COH.VII.P.R.S. ALEXANDRIN VIX ANN XXVIIII MIL ANN VI HORIVNDVS EX PROVINCIA DACIA, and the third begins DIOGENES GAIVS MIL.COH.XI.P.R. The captions read "Dom Emmanuel Marti", "Mr Fabretti", "Maffei" under each of the five gems, and "Boissard" under the two lower tombstones. Figure numbers run from 1 to 7. The corners read "Page 15", "Vol. IV." and "Plate 4".

Bernard de Montfaucon (1655 to 1741) was a French Benedictine monk and scholar whose L'Antiquité expliquée et représentée en figures appeared in Paris in 1719. This English translation by David Humphreys was printed in London by J. Tonson and J. Watts. Volume four deals with war, and Montfaucon set figures copied from monuments, coins, gems and earlier antiquaries side by side, naming each source.

With its full Latin epitaphs, it is a sheet that rewards reading at close range.

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