Archaeologists discover a 2,000-year-old stele depicting a Roman emperor as an Egyptian pharaoh.

Written by Fabio Lucas Carvalho

Published on 13/04/2026 at 23:47

Be the first to react!

Sandstone monument found in restoration at the Karnak complex details imperial works and the religious relationship between Rome and Egypt.

A team of Egyptian and French archaeologists discovered a 2,000-year-old sandstone stele depicting a Roman emperor as a pharaoh in Luxor.

The monument was located during restoration work on a gate of the Karnak temple complex in ancient Thebes. The piece dates back to the reign of Emperor Tiberius, who ruled from 14 to 37 AD, highlighting the continuity of Egyptian traditions during the Roman occupation.

Discovery at the Karnak temple complex

The stele was found while specialists were working on the recovery of a gate dating from the time of Ramses III, the second pharaoh of the 20th Dynasty. The structure was in a state of deterioration and covered by vegetation when excavations revealed the decorated sandstone block.

ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW

Representation of the Roman emperor as a pharaoh

The monument presents the Roman emperor as a pharaoh positioned before the Theban triad of deities of ancient Egypt.

In the engraved scene, Tiberius appears before the gods Amon-Ra, Mut, and Khonsu, adhering to the traditional artistic canons of the time. Below the religious image, the monument contains five lines of text in hieroglyphics detailing administrative and religious aspects.

The inscriptions specifically document the restoration of a retaining wall of the Temple of Amon, located within the Karnak complex itself.

According to archaeological authorities, this practice of depicting Roman leaders in pharaonic attire and titles was common to legitimize foreign control over Egyptian territory. The Roman emperor as a pharaoh was a figure used to maintain local authority and religious order under Roman rule.

Preservation and future of the monument in Luxor

The sandstone piece underwent a meticulous cleaning and restoration process shortly after being removed from the ground. The general director of the Luxor Museum, Abdel Ghaffar Wagdy, who led the Egyptian side of the mission, confirmed the integrity of the stele. The object is expected to be transferred to a museum at a future date, where it will become part of the region’s collection of antiquities.

The discovery highlights the complex stratigraphy of the Karnak complex, where layers from different periods overlap. The presence of a Roman emperor as a pharaoh on a sandstone stele demonstrates how Roman power structures adapted to ancient local customs.

Archaeologists continue to analyze the hieroglyphs to extract more data about the public works carried out during that period.

With information from Live Science

Archaeologists discover a 2,000-year-old stele depicting a Roman emperor as an Egyptian pharaoh.

Sandstone monument found in restoration at the Karnak complex details imperial works and the religious relationship between Rome and Egypt.

Discovery at the Karnak temple complex

Representation of the Roman emperor as a pharaoh

Preservation and future of the monument in Luxor

A village with 115 inhabitants wants new residents: it offers a house, a job, up to 44 thousand euros in benefits, almost free rent, an annual grant of 8 thousand euros for 3 years, and a 20 thousand euro incentive for businesses in the mountains of Italy.

NASA is offering US$ 750,000 to people from anywhere in the world who solve a problem that could decide survival on Mars: creating food for astronauts without relying on resupply from Earth.

Elon Musk’s internet comes to mobile: Starlink technology connects smartphones without an antenna via satellite, works even without carrier signal, already costs just US$10 extra in the US, and could arrive in Brazil as an included benefit.

While countries spend billions to draw water from the sea, a Nobel-winning scientist creates a container-sized machine that extracts up to 1,000 liters per day from dry air and uses ultrasound to release water in minutes, even in the middle of the desert.

Belgium will sink 23 giant concrete caissons, each weighing 22,000 tons, in the North Sea to build the world’s first artificial energy island 45 km off the coast, forming offshore electrical walls.

New microwave that can replace three appliances hits the market: Sharp launches 3-in-1 model that combines air fryer, convection oven, and heating in 0.9 cubic feet for small kitchens

While Brazil has been discussing bullet trains for 16 years, China delivers 5 new high-speed lines in 2026, surpasses 50,000 km of HSR, and moves 1 billion passengers in a single year.

With prices starting from R$ 36 thousand, a 38 m² two-bedroom house arrives disassembled on a truck, assembles in days, and already comes with a door, window, floor, and roof, without a bricklayer, without debris, and without budget surprises.

A giant ship, set to depart from Brazil for Venezuela, sank with 5,000 cattle and tons of oil, and has remained at the bottom of the sea for over 10 years, rendering the beach unusable and causing environmental impacts.

Virus alert on the small island: Tristan da Cunha, without an airport and with only 216 residents, now under attention for hantavirus.

A public school student creates an “electric defensive” that uses only water, salt, and energy to protect crops without industrial pesticides, wins the Young Scientists Award 2025, and transforms an invisible chemical process into a solution for small farmers.

Brazil wants to become a military power, and missiles capable of hitting targets up to 200 km away begin to be produced in SIATT’s national factory, which already delivers the first batch to the Army and expands strategic surveillance of the Blue Amazon.

Archaeologists discover a 2,000-year-old stele depicting a Roman emperor as an Egyptian pharaoh.

Sandstone monument found in restoration at the Karnak complex details imperial works and the religious relationship between Rome and Egypt.

Discovery at the Karnak temple complex

Representation of the Roman emperor as a pharaoh

Preservation and future of the monument in Luxor

A village with 115 inhabitants wants new residents: it offers a house, a job, up to 44 thousand euros in benefits, almost free rent, an annual grant of 8 thousand euros for 3 years, and a 20 thousand euro incentive for businesses in the mountains of Italy.

NASA is offering US$ 750,000 to people from anywhere in the world who solve a problem that could decide survival on Mars: creating food for astronauts without relying on resupply from Earth.

Elon Musk’s internet comes to mobile: Starlink technology connects smartphones without an antenna via satellite, works even without carrier signal, already costs just US$10 extra in the US, and could arrive in Brazil as an included benefit.

While countries spend billions to draw water from the sea, a Nobel-winning scientist creates a container-sized machine that extracts up to 1,000 liters per day from dry air and uses ultrasound to release water in minutes, even in the middle of the desert.

Belgium will sink 23 giant concrete caissons, each weighing 22,000 tons, in the North Sea to build the world’s first artificial energy island 45 km off the coast, forming offshore electrical walls.

New microwave that can replace three appliances hits the market: Sharp launches 3-in-1 model that combines air fryer, convection oven, and heating in 0.9 cubic feet for small kitchens

While Brazil has been discussing bullet trains for 16 years, China delivers 5 new high-speed lines in 2026, surpasses 50,000 km of HSR, and moves 1 billion passengers in a single year.

Virus alert on the small island: Tristan da Cunha, without an airport and with only 216 residents, now under attention for hantavirus.

A public school student creates an “electric defensive” that uses only water, salt, and energy to protect crops without industrial pesticides, wins the Young Scientists Award 2025, and transforms an invisible chemical process into a solution for small farmers.

Xiaomi goes beyond cell phones and launches an electric kettle with 316Ti titanium steel, 1,800 W of power, and technology that keeps water hot for 24 hours, does not rust, prevents a metallic taste, and costs around R$ 101 in China.

Goodbye traditional microwave: Brastemp surprises and launches a 23-liter version with Multi-Prep function for brownie, risotto, and brigadeiro, smart weight-based defrosting, QR Code with recipes, and an initial price of R$ 639 in Brazil.

With R$ 189 million and 10 Brazilian companies, Brazil is developing a 12-meter national rocket to launch satellites of up to 30 kg from Alcântara and try to conquer the “key to space” without depending on powers like the USA, Russia, China, and India.

With prices starting from R$ 36 thousand, a 38 m² two-bedroom house arrives disassembled on a truck, assembles in days, and already comes with a door, window, floor, and roof, without a bricklayer, without debris, and without budget surprises.

A giant ship, set to depart from Brazil for Venezuela, sank with 5,000 cattle and tons of oil, and has remained at the bottom of the sea for over 10 years, rendering the beach unusable and causing environmental impacts.

Virus alert on the small island: Tristan da Cunha, without an airport and with only 216 residents, now under attention for hantavirus.

A public school student creates an “electric defensive” that uses only water, salt, and energy to protect crops without industrial pesticides, wins the Young Scientists Award 2025, and transforms an invisible chemical process into a solution for small farmers.

Brazil wants to become a military power, and missiles capable of hitting targets up to 200 km away begin to be produced in SIATT’s national factory, which already delivers the first batch to the Army and expands strategic surveillance of the Blue Amazon.