Long before digital renderings, CNC milling, and 3-D printers revolutionized the world of architecture, the ancients used analog methods to produce some of history’s most esteemed architectural feats. Building Wonders, a new three-part series debuting tonight on PBS, explores three such marvels—Rome’s Colosseum, the ancient city of Petra in what is today Jordan, and the Hagia Sophia, a former church and mosque in Istanbul.

From the producers of the popular science show Nova, Wonders not only tackles some of the great “how did they do it” mysteries behind these sites by asking contemporary engineers to replicate aspects of the icons, but also illuminates the rituals and spectacles staged there.

Grab your popcorn—the show promises to be as entertaining as a gladiator fight. pbrg

* *