du Choul - Religion des Anciens Romains / Castrametation / Des Bains - 1567

The book that reveals the secret rites of ancient Rome and Europe was no longer the same
Discourse on the religion of the ancient Romans (Discorso sulla religione degli antichi Romani)
of their camp arrangements and military discipline
Baths & Ancient Greek and Roman Exercises
These three parts constitute the entire content of the volume published in 1567.
Fundamental to the reconstruction of Roman religious symbolism, Guillaume du Choul's treatise reveals how rituals, military disciplines, daily cults, and thermal practices constituted a coherent system of power, identity, and imagery. Published in Lyon in 1567 by Guillaume Rouillé, one of the most important typographers and illustrators of the French Renaissance, this volume represents a monument of sixteenth-century antiquarian rediscovery, in which historical words and woodcut images collaborate to revive and legitimize the myths of Romanity. The abundance of figures—medals, reliefs, monuments, mythological scenes—transforms the book into a visual atlas of the ancient world, while the dual presence of the Discourse on Religion and the treatise on camp construction, baths, and ancient exercises offers the most comprehensive summary of its reflection. An intact copy in its textual and iconographic parts, with a strong material personality, fully preserves its Renaissance voice.
Market value
The Lyonese editions of Rouillé of Guillaume du Choul's antiquarian works are highly sought after for their iconographic richness and typographic beauty of the workshop. Similar copies, complete in both parts and with good readability of the woodcuts, circulate on the European market for between 200 and 800 euros per specimen in fair to good condition; restored or rebound specimens may command higher prices. Generally, the presence of over 500 medal reproductions and the five full-page plates positively influence the valuation, as does the preservation of the antique binding.

Physical description and condition
Ancient binding in full calf, with a nerved spine, gilt titles and decorations; wear to the boards. Missing front endpaper. Some browning and foxing; sharp woodcuts. The author's coat of arms on the verso of the frontispiece, 47 illustrations in the text, including 5 full-page, and over 500 engraved medals. Pp. 340; 52nn; 154; 8nn.

Full title and author
Discourse on the religion of the ancient Romans (Discorso sulla religione degli antichi Romani)
of their camp arrangements and military discipline
Baths & Ancient Greek and Roman Exercises
These three parts constitute the entire content of the volume.
Lyon, Guillaume Rouillé, 1567
Guillaume du Choul.

Context and Significance
Du Choul, a royal official, scholar, and great connoisseur of classical antiquities, composes here one of the most influential treatises of European antiquarianism of the 16th century. The work integrates literary sources, archaeological evidence, and a broad iconographic repertoire, aiming to reconstruct the origins of cults, military ceremonies, and daily practices of the Romans. The book fits into the larger movement of antiquarian revival, where images—medals, statues, reliefs—become fundamental for historical interpretation. The second part, on the military field and ancient baths, completes the project, offering a kind of compendium of the institutions and physical and spiritual rites of Roman culture. Rouillé's edition is considered one of the most beautiful and richest, thanks to the systematic use of xilography as a tool for knowledge rather than mere ornamentation. The work circulated throughout Europe, becoming a model for antiquarians, architects, iconographers, and scholars of classical religion.

Biography of the Author
Guillaume du Choul (1496–1560), counselor to the King of France and bailly of the mountains of Dauphiné, was one of the most important French antiquarians of the 16th century. A collector of medals and a deep connoisseur of classical sources, he was the first to systematically combine text and image as a historical method. His works were translated, reprinted, and imitated for over a century. His library of antiquities was considered one of the richest of his time.

Printing history and circulation
Guillaume Rouillé, active in Lyon between 1540 and 1589, was one of the leading European typographer-humanists, known for the elegance of his silographies, for the high-quality Roman and cursive types, and for the meticulous craftsmanship of his illustrated volumes. Du Choul's works were printed multiple times, but the 1567 edition represents one of the most complete and best-illustrated. Despite his popularity, complete copies of both parts with the full iconographic apparatus are less common than their relative dissemination would suggest.

BIBLIOGRAPHY AND REFERENCES
Brunet II, 888
Adams, D 1167
Mortimer, French 173
Pettegree & Walsby, French Vernacular Books
Rogers, Renaissance Views of Classical Antiquity
USTC 29831
WorldCat, BnF Gallica, Edit16 (for variants and localizations)
Modern studies: B. Céard, 'Curiosity in the Renaissance'; J. Balsamo, Lyon, center of French humanism; E. Oberhuber (on medals and ancient iconography).