The references to the tomb of the Great Roman (“tomb of Gnaius Pompey”) in the works of Pierre Plantard and Philippe de Chèrisey – relating to an artefact contained in the 1709 inventory by Abbe Delmas (first mentioned by Guillaume de Catel) – were probably viewed as symbolical references to the Holy Roman Empire that Plantard probably considered to be the original “United States of Europe” (from Charlemagne to Francis II). Otto Von Habsburg was the titular King of Jerusalem 1922-2007 during the Plantard Era and the Habsburgs were former Holy Roman Emperors.

What must have attracted Pierre Plantard and Philippe de Chèrisey to the reference to the artefact mentioned by Abbe Delmas was the existence of the words “Mort Epee” (gladio) on the tombstone of Marie de Negri d'Ables – and thus a synthesis of unrelated connections became established within the mythological framework of the Priory of Sion. And these combined unrelated elements also gave Philippe de Chèrisey ideas on how to devise and create his parchments during the early 1960s.

Thus in “Circuit” there are references to a Sepulchre of a Great Roman, a ruin called the Guardian of the Sword, and a “treasure”.

Plantard developed these fantasies to the fullest degree during the 1990s in his articles and letters found in the revived issues of “Vaincre” – that echoed ideas and motifs found in the original issues of “Vaincre” dating from the 1940s – whereby Mithras and the Latin phrase Ab Urbe Condita (relating to the founding of Rome) were added into the mix (Plantard's figment of the imagination “The Temple Rond” at Blanchefort became a former temple to Mithras).

The most notable thing that Plantard introduced into his revised Priory of Sion mythology of the 1990s was that he no longer claimed to be the direct descendant of Dagobert II – that privilege was bestowed upon Otto Von Habsburg, who Plantard probably always regarded as the symbolical “Great Roman”.