Reliquiae Britannico-Romanae.Containing Figures of Roman Antiquities Discovered in Various Parts of England.

London: Printed by T. Bensley and sold by Messr.Cadell and Davies, etc. 1813-17.

First Edition, 3 volumes, Large Folio, half red calf over marbled boards, complete with numerous plates on 111 hand-coloured sheets of antiquities and mosaic pavements, of which 37 are folding or double-page, 3 hand-coloured titles, engraved dedication, 7 part titles with 6 in colour, 4 engraved ll of lists of plates in colour with hand-coloured engraved vignettes, a fine copy of a rare work.

A SUPERB COPY OF A VERY SCARCE WORK. One of 200 Sets Only and One of the Most Important Works on Roman Antiquities in Britain.

An extraordinary series of engravings recording Roman mosaic floors and antiquities excavated in Great Britain in the late 18th century.

Samuel Lysons was one of the first archaeologists to investigate the Roman sites in Britain, as well as being a leading intellectual of his time and a benefactor of the British Museum, to which he donated many artifacts. Between 1793 and 1796, he undertook extensive excavations of Roman ruins which were published with his illustrations in 1797 as Account of the Roman Antiquities discovered at Woodchester in the County of Gloucester. That year he was made a fellow of the Royal Society and later served as its vice-president and treasurer. He was also an antiquary professor in the Royal Academy 1818. He published several works on Roman mosaics, including contributions to Archaeologia, a periodical published by the Society of Antiquaries in London.

His greatest work is deemed to be Reliquiae Britannico-Romanae,containing figures of Roman Antiquities discovered in England .He also assisted his brother Daniel Lysons on the book Magna Britannia, a major topographical study of the regions of England. Through his scholarly work and meticulous illustrations he made a lasting contribution to the study of Roman mosaics.

The Romans briefly invaded Britain in 55 B.C., but their real impact on the region came later, when Emperor Claudius ordered another invasion in 43 A.D. By the end of the first century, England was fully occupied by the Romans and they built villas and settlements, mainly in the southern and eastern regions.