Every day we learn something new about the ancient world. Who were these people of the past? What did they care about, their hopes and dreams? Fortunately (and unfortunately) a lot of what we know about these mysterious civilizations rely on written texts that have been decoded by archaeologists over time. But what of those societies that didn’t have a written language? What’s more, many civilizations of bygone eras recorded their legacy through the eyes of a powerful elite, so our vision of them is inevitably colored.

Whatever the case, our modern world is endlessly fascinated by who our predecessors were and what their lives were like. The ancient Greek writer, Philo of Byzantium, had the foresight to note the seven greatest ancient marvels of his time for future generations to be inspired by. Of these original seven wonders, only one still remains. It’s also possible that some of them may have not existed at all. The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, not so different from the modern world’s version, show us humankind at her most capable and also most cruel.