Curiosity Original

10 episodes 96%4KCC

How ancient builders turned stone, roads, and temples into enduring breakthroughs.

Explore the architectural achievements of antiquity, from pyramids and temples to roads and fortresses, and see how their builders solved immense problems with simple tools. This season reveals the ideas and techniques that inspired later engineers and helped shape the modern world. Sign up to uncover the ingenuity still built into the world around you.

Episode guide

10 episodes

1Roads That Changed The World

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.

50 min

2The Great Wall of China

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.

50 min

3Secrets Of The Pyramids

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?

50 min

4Rise Of The Super-Castle

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.

50 min

5Secrets Of Notre Dame

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.

50 min

6Secrets Of Angkor Wat

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?

50 min

7The Power Of Water

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.

50 min

8History’s Greatest Ships

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.

50 min

9Stone Age Secrets

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?

50 min

10The Taj Mahal And The Golden Age Of Islam

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.

50 min

Good to know

Frequently asked questions

Thousands of the world's best documentaries and factual programming — nature, history, science, technology, and biography — including exclusive Curiosity Originals like Ancient Engineering. Stream it all ad-free, anytime.

Plans are billed annually — every plan streams in 4K. The Smart Bundle adds four partner services. There are no contracts — cancel anytime.

Watch on the web, iOS and Android, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Chromecast, Android TV, and most smart TVs. Start on one device and pick up right where you left off on another.

Yes. The library is full of family-friendly nature and science programming, and the Smart Bundle includes Kidstream — carefully chosen, ad-free shows kids will love and parents can trust.

Absolutely. There are no contracts and no cancellation fees — manage or cancel your plan anytime from your account settings.

Curiosity Stream is our streaming service — thousands of documentaries and originals. The Smart Bundle is Curiosity Stream plus four other independent streaming services (Tastemade, Kidstream, Curiosity University, and SOMM TV) on a single subscription.

Yes. Start on any plan and move up to the Smart Bundle whenever you like — the change takes effect right away, and your billing is simply prorated from your account settings.

Got your answer? Pick a plan and start streaming.Start streaming

Available now

Start watching Ancient Engineering today

Stream thousands of award-winning documentaries. Cancel anytime.

Start streaming