Roman Emperor Tiberius Depicted as Egyptian Pharaoh on Newly Discovered 2,000-Year-Old Stela at Karnak

A Franco-Egyptian team has made a significant discovery while restoring the Ramses III enclosure wall gateway at the Karnak temple complex, located near Luxor, Egypt. They found a nearly two-foot tall sandstone stela featuring Roman emperor Tiberius (14-37 C.E.) adorned with the double crown of pharaohs, accompanied by the deities Amun, Khonsu, and Mut. Co-director Abdelghaffar Wagdy highlighted that the stela illustrates Tiberius conducting rituals as a pharaoh, showcasing ideological representation. Hieroglyphs on the monument document the restoration of a wall in an Amun temple. Additionally, the stela was discovered among decorated blocks from the era of Amenhotep III, suggesting it was repurposed. Following Cleopatra's death in 30 B.C.E., Egypt came under Roman dominion.