DU CHOUL (Guillaume). Veterum Romanorum religio, catrametation, disciplina militaris, ut & balneæ Ex antiquis Numismatibus & lapidibus demonstrata. Amsterdam: Janssonius Van Waesberge, 1686. - In-4, brown calf, ornate ribbed spine, speckled edges (period binding). "New Latin edition, dedicated to the physician and botanist Theodorus Janssonius Van Almeloveen (1657-1712), bringing together three of the texts that the Lyonnais antiquarian Guillaume du Choul (c. 1496-1560) devoted to ancient civilization, particularly Roman. These texts deal respectively with Roman religion, castrametation - the art of choosing and laying out the site of a camp or stronghold - and baths. They were first published in 1555 and 1556. The most in-depth study is that devoted to religion; the author tackles it through ancient coins, both authentic and invented. His text on castration is essentially a commentary on plates of the Roman army, taken from the Trajan column according to Jacopo Ripanda's surveys. The first two parts are presented under separate titles, while the third follows the second, separated by a false title. This work gained a notable reputation thanks to its illustrations. Discours de la religion" is adorned with several hundred copper engravings, both in the text and on full pages, mainly depicting the faces and reverse sides of coins and medals. The section on castration is illustrated by a fold-out table with a copper-engraved frieze and 37 engravings, 36 of them full-page. The text on baths includes 6 copper-engraved compositions, 3 of which are full-page and 3 integrated into the text. The edition also includes an unsigned frontispiece, dated 1685. Copy in contemporary binding, including the skilfully painted frontispiece. Binding skilfully restored, spine golds partly faded. Very good condition inside.