Summary

Follow engineer Steve Burrows, the mastermind behind Beijing's Olympic Stadium and Dubai Towers, as he leads a team investigating the greatest buildings of Rome and Egypt.

The team uses modern expertise and a series of experiments to decode iconic constructions including the Colosseum, Pantheon, Great Pyramid and Karnak temple complex, bringing an uniquely 21st century perspective to each civilisation's masterpieces.

Discover in the Rome episode how human-powered cranes were used to lift two tonne blocks of stone - the equivalent of 15 storeys high - and how luxurious bathhouses and saunas were heated. The Egypt episode looks at how the design of pyramids was perfected and investigates the complexity of cutting and transporting an obelisk.