Ancient Engineering (Season 2)

Chariots were the express vehicles of their day - but how did they work? And what about the roads, tunnels, and bridges that they relied upon? Transport networks are also indispensable in our fast-paced, interconnected modern world, and we’ve learned from our ancestors.

Since the earliest civilizations, humans have needed walls to protect them. From rudimentary walls around early towns and cities to vast fortresses and castles, culminating in one of the greatest engineering triumphs of all time - the Great Wall of China.

The Great Pyramid at Giza is the only survivor of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Its scale is breath-taking and it is built to the mind-boggling degree of precision. How did ancient engineers achieve this feat, and what was the purpose of this monumental and mysterious structure?

In the Middle Ages, the technology of the castle evolved by leaps and bounds. Engineers constructed some of the most spectacular buildings of all time in a dramatic arms- race. At the same time, new weapons designed to attack castles came to the fore.

Building for God reached a high point in the Middle Ages when a new engineering movement emerged in Europe, changing the rules forever. It aimed to use pioneering construction methods and architecture to create a glimpse of heaven...on earth.

Temples, designed to honor the Gods, have been at the heart of cities since earliest times. Often they have been the biggest and most impressive buildings of their age. But mysterious ancient temples crop up across the ancient world. Why are so many of these monuments carefully aligned with the sun?

Without water, civilization is simply not possible. Romans took control of their water supplies very, very seriously. In order to keep the taps on, Roman engineers constructed vast networks of aqueducts, tunnels, sewers, and drains.

As far back as the Bronze Age, humans were building ships capable of crossing oceans and trading between continents. Perhaps the greatest surviving vessel from the Ancient world, is The Mary Rose, Henry VIII’s mighty warship. It was a true engineering wonder, but one built with a fatal weakness.

Even before the start of recorded history, ancient engineers across the World were erecting giant monuments. What was their purpose? And how did early peoples move such massive slabs of stone across hundreds of miles - long before the wheel had been invented?

Awe-inspiring palaces are the legacy that demonstrates the brilliance of Islamic engineers, working centuries before Western Europe began its own engineering revolution. It’s a process that culminated in what is arguably the most beautiful building in the World - the Taj Mahal.