Les Cesars de l'empereur Julien

Ezechiel Spanheim (1629-1710). Les Cesars de l’empereur Julien. Paris: Denys Du Puis, 1696 (first edition 1683).

Before he embarked on his official diplomatic career, Spanheim employed his knowledge of ancient languages to publish in 1660 a translation of the satirical text known as The Caesars by the 4^th-century Byzantine emperor Julian.

In 1683, he prepared an edition of the Greek text accompanied by an introductory essay on Greek and Latin satire and a lengthy commentary. Over 300 engravings of known coin types are found throughout the commentary, some simply as portraits of the Roman emperors or imperial family members who are featured in the satire but others as evidence for imperial propaganda historical events that Spanheim is discussing in the commentary.

The book was reprinted a number of times in the late 17^th and early 18^th century.