ARIAS MONTANO (Benito). Antiquitatum Judaicarum libri IX. In quîs, præter Iudææ, Hierosolymorum, & Templi Salomonis accuratam delineationem, præcipui sacri ac profani gentis ritus describuntur. Leiden: Ex officina Plantiniana, with Franciscus Raphelengius, 1593. - In-4, 245 x 166: (2 ff.), 200 pp. Rigid overlapping vellum , spine ribbed (17th century binding). Very rare original edition. This work is a collection of nine treatises on Jewish antiquity by the Spanish humanist, theologian and polygraphist Benito Arias Montano (1527-1598), taken from the polyglot Bible published by Plantin in Antwerp in 1572 of which Arias Montano was the scientific director. It was conceived as a tribute to the Jewish antiquities of Flavius Josephus, in a context of controversy with the Spanish Jesuit philosopher and architect Juan Bautista Villalpando (1552-1608). THE ONLY KNOWN COMPLETE PRIVATE HAND COPY OF THE 16 REQUIRED PLATES. The edition is actually illustrated with 16 fold-out plates with letters A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, H, J, K, L, M, N, O, P and Q. Previous copies on sale were limited to a maximum of 15 plates. They are also plates from the polyglot Bible of 1572, which depict maps, architectural sections and views, etc. Some bear the initials P.H. Each plate was captioned in ink at the time. There is also a copper-etched figure in the text on page 126. Missing top of back and title piece, stains on dishes, missing links. Heavy freckles, light wetness, non-serious tears on the edge of several sheets and tears without gaps affecting most boards. Provenance: handwritten ex-libris dated 1701 on the first counterplate. - Ancient handwritten ex-libris on the title.