Near the modern city of Baalbek in Lebanon, in ancient times called Heliopolis or city of the Sun, ran a trade route linking Damascus and Tyre. Here, Roman engineers in the first century AD raised a massive temple complex. The site was dominated by Temple of Jupiter, a stone colossus surrounded by fifty four columns of immense size and height.

Also contained in the complex is the Temple of Bacchus, with it's fluted columns. While not as impressive as the Temple to Jupiter and the huge columns it is still an ancient engineering feat.

Beneath the temples lay a greater wonder, a huge foundation comprising an area of more than five million square feet and containing more stone than the Great Pyramid at Giza. No mortar was used in its construction and yet in 2000 years it has not perceptibly settled. The secret of this stability lies in the downhill retaining wall, which contains three of the world's biggest blocks of cut stone. Stood upright, each would be as tall as a five story building, and weigh more than 600 tons.

To set up the equipment to move one of these blocks today requires more than a week of set up time for the crane alone. How did these engineers hew out these monster slabs and transport them?

We know that the quarry is more than a mile away because a fourth, even larger slab, (right) was cut but then abandoned in the quarry. At 1,050 tons and seventy two feet long, nicknamed "the Monolith" this slab is the largest piece of hewn rock on the face of the earth. Note the man standing on the block, and the camel being led in front.