Unsolved:List of ancient Greek and Roman monoliths

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Man amidst the collapsed giant columns of a Greek temple at Selinunte, Sicily

This is a list of ancient monoliths found in all types of Greek and Roman buildings.

It contains monoliths

  • quarried, but not moved
  • quarried and moved
  • quarried, moved and lifted clear off the ground into their position (architraves etc.)
  • quarried, moved and erected in an upright position (columns etc.)

Transporting was done by land or water (or a combination of both), in the later case often by special-built ships such as obelisk carriers.[1] For lifting operations, ancient cranes were employed since ca. 515 BC,[2] such as in the construction of Trajan's Column.[3]

It should be stressed that all numbers are estimations since only in the rarest cases have monoliths been actually weighed. Rather, weight is calculated by multiplying volume by density. The main source, J. J. Coulton, assumes 2.75 t/m3 for marble and 2.25 t/m3 for other stone.[4] For an explanation of the large margin of error, which often leads to widely differing numbers, see these introductory remarks.

Greek monoliths

Below a selection of Greek monoliths sorted by their date.

Date Building / Object Location Monolith Weight
(in t) 		Comment
~650 BC Dedication of Nikandre[5] Delos, Greek isles Figure 000025 ~1110.25


~650 BC Fortification wall[5] Leontinoi, Sicily Wall blocks 000175 ~1111.75


~640 BC Temple of Poseidon[5] Isthmus, Greek mainland Wall blocks 000050 ~1110.5


~630 BC Temple A[5] Prinias, Crete Frieze slab 000050 ~1110.5


~610–590 BC Sounion Kouros[5] Sounion, Greek mainland Figure 000200 111~2


~610–590 BC Colossus of the Naxians[5] Delos, Greek isles Base 003400 ~1134


~610–590 BC Colossus of the Naxians[5] Delos, Greek isles Figure 002300 11~23


~590–580 BC Temple of Artemis[5] Kerkyra, Greek isles Pediment slab, central 000325 ~1113.25


~590–580 BC Temple of Artemis[5] Kerkyra, Greek isles Architrave block 000500 ~1115 
or 6.25
~565 BC Temple of Apollo[5] Syracuse, Sicily Stylobate block 002400 ~1124


~565 BC Temple of Apollo[5] Syracuse, Sicily Column shaft 003500 ~1135


~565 BC Temple of Apollo[5] Syracuse, Sicily Architrave block 002025 ~1120.25


~555 BC Olympieion[5] Syracuse, Sicily Stylobate block 002025 ~1120.25


~560–550 BC Temple of Artemis[5] Ephesos, Asia Minor Architrave block, central 004125 ~1141.25


~550–530 BC Temple C[5] Selinunte, Sicily Stylobate block 001250 ~1112.5


~550–530 BC Temple C[5] Selinunte, Sicily Architrave block 001600 ~1116


~540 BC Temple of Apollo[5] Corinth, Greek mainland Column shaft 002600 ~1126


~540 BC Temple of Apollo[5] Corinth, Greek mainland Architrave block 001000 ~1110


~535 BC Temple D[5] Selinunte, Sicily Architrave block 001375 ~1113.75


~525 BC Temple FS[5] Selinunte, Sicily Architrave block 002100 ~1121


~520 BC Kouros of Apollonas[5] Naxos, Greek isles Figure 006900 11~69


~520 BC Temple of Apollo[5] Naxos, Greek isles Lintel block 002200 ~1122


~520 BC Temple of Apollo[5] Naxos, Greek isles Threshold 002225 ~1122.25


~520 BC Temple at Parikia[5] Paros, Greek isles Lintel block 002200 11~22


~520–409 BC Temple of Apollo ('GT')[5] Selinunte, Sicily Column drum in quarry (Cave di Cusa) 007300 ~1173


~520–409 BC Temple of Apollo ('GT')[5] Selinunte, Sicily Architrave block 004000 ~1140


~520–409 BC Temple of Apollo ('GT')[5] Selinunte, Sicily Cornice block 001250 ~1112.5


~515 BC From about that time on, cranes are assumed to have become common on Greek construction sites, leading to a sharp reduction of block sizes.[2]
~515 BC Olympieion[5] Athens, Greek mainland Column drum 000900 ~1119


~500–406 BC Olympieion[5] Akragas, Sicily Abacus block, central 001150 ~1111.5


~500–406 BC Olympieion[5] Akragas, Sicily Architrave block 000925 ~1119.25


~500–406 BC Olympieion[5] Akragas, Sicily Architrave block 001100 ~1111


~500–406 BC Olympieion[5] Akragas, Sicily Architrave block 001400 ~1114


~500–406 BC Olympieion[5] Akragas, Sicily Metope block, lower (angle) 001350 ~1113.5


~500–406 BC Olympieion[5] Akragas, Sicily Cornice block 001150 ~1111.5


~500 BC Temple of Aphaia[5] Aigina, Greek isles Column shaft 000600 ~1116


~480–460 BC Temple ER[5] Selinunte, Sicily Architrave block 001700 ~1117


~468–457 BC Temple of Zeus[5] Olympia, Greek mainland Stylobate block 000850 ~1118.5


~468–457 BC Temple of Zeus[5] Olympia, Greek mainland Architrave block 001650 ~1116.5


~460 BC Temple of 'Poseidon'[5] Paestum, Magna Graecia Architrave block 001150 ~1111.5


~448–437 BC Parthenon[5] Athens, Greek mainland Architrave block 000950 ~1119.5


~448–437 BC Parthenon[5] Athens, Greek mainland Lintel block, largest 000900 ~1119


~437–432 BC Propylaia[5] Athens, Greek mainland Architrave block, central 001250 ~1112.5


~437–432 BC Propylaia[5] Athens, Greek mainland Lintel block, largest 001225 ~1112.25


~437–432 BC Propylaia[5] Athens, Greek mainland Lintel block, relieving [A 1] 000875 ~1118.75


~437–432 BC Propylaia[5] Athens, Greek mainland Ceiling beam, west porch 001000 ~1110


~421–405 BC Erechtheion[5] Athens, Greek mainland Block over Pandroseion 001150 ~1111.5


~421–405 BC Erechtheion[5] Athens, Greek mainland Lintel block, north door 000725 ~1117.25


~421–405 BC Erechtheion[5] Athens, Greek mainland Ceiling beam, north porch 001000 ~1110


~420 BC Temple of Segesta[5] Segesta, Sicily Architrave block 001250 ~1112.5


~366–326 BC Temple of Apollo[5] Delphi, Greek mainland Architrave block 000925 ~1119.25


~340 BC Temple of Zeus[5] Nemea, Greek mainland Architrave block 000675 ~1116.75


~340 BC Temple of Zeus[5] Nemea, Greek mainland Lintel block 000875 ~1118.75


~350 BC First in Ionia, the weight of the lifted blocks begins to match again that of the Archaic period, indicating a mastery of the winch and compound pulley hoist by now.[6]
~310 BC Temple of Apollo[5] Didyma, Asia Minor Threshold 004675 ~1146.75


~310 BC Temple of Apollo[5] Didyma, Asia Minor Lintel block[A 2] 004800 ~1148


~310 BC Temple of Apollo[5] Didyma, Asia Minor Jamb[A 2] 007150 ~1171.5


~170 BC Olympieion[5] Athens, Greek mainland Architrave block, largest 002325 ~1123.25


Roman monoliths

Below a selection of Roman monoliths sorted by their date; the list also includes work on Greek temples which was continued into the Roman era.

Date [A 3] Building / Object Location Monolith Weight
(in t) 		Comment
000 1st c. BC


Apollo statue[5] Vitr. 10.2.13[7] Base 005100 ~1151?


002 10 BC


Flaminian Obelisk[8] Rome, Italia Obelisk 026300 ~1263


From Roman Egypt by obelisk ship[8]
002 10 BC


Campensis Obelisk[8] Rome, Italia Obelisk 023000 ~1230


From Roman Egypt by obelisk ship[8]
037 37–41 AD


Vatican Obelisk[9] Rome, Italia Obelisk 036100 ~1361


From Roman Egypt by obelisk ship[8]
100 1st–2nd c.


Temple of Jupiter[5] Baalbek, Roman Lebanon Column drum, lower 004850 ~1148.5


100 1st–2nd c.


Temple of Jupiter[5] Baalbek, Roman Lebanon Architrave-frieze block, central 006300 ~1163


Lifted by cranes to height of 19 m[10]
100 1st–2nd c.


Temple of Jupiter[5] Baalbek, Roman Lebanon Cornice block, corner 010800 ~1108


Lifted by cranes to height of 19 m[10]
101 1st–3rd c.


Granite column[11] Mons Claudianus, Roman Egypt Column shaft in quarry 020700 ~1207


113 113


Trajan's Column[12] Rome, Italia Pedestal 007700 11~77


113 113


Trajan's Column[13] Rome, Italia Base 005500 ~1155


113 113


Trajan's Column[14] Rome, Italia Column drum, typical 003200 11~32


113 113


Trajan's Column[13] Rome, Italia Capital 005330 ~1153.3


Lifted by cranes to height of 34 m[13]
150 2nd c.?


Temple of Apollo[5] Didyma, Asia Minor Architrave block 002050 ~1120.5


297 297


Pompey's Pillar[15] Alexandria, Roman Egypt Column shaft 028500 ~1285


306 306–313


Basilica Nova[5] Rome, Italia Column shaft 010300 ~1103


357 357


Lateran Obelisk[16] Rome, Italia Obelisk 045500 ~1455


From Roman Egypt by obelisk ship[8]
530 530


Mausoleum of Theodoric[17] Ravenna, Italia Roof slab 023000 ~1230


Constructed under Ostrogoths[A 4]

Greek monoliths

  • Nikandre Dedication (0.25 t)
    Nikandre Dedication (0.25 t)
  • Sounion Kouros (~2 t)
    Sounion Kouros (~2 t)
  • The existence of the U-shaped channels on the stone blocks (here at the Temple of Heracles) points at the use of cranes for lifting them into place.[18]
    The existence of the U-shaped channels on the stone blocks (here at the Temple of Heracles) points at the use of cranes for lifting them into place.[18]
  • Colossos of Apollona (~69 t)
    Colossos of Apollona (~69 t)
  • Column drum(s) in Cave di Cusa (73 t)
    Column drum(s) in Cave di Cusa (73 t)
  • Huge doric capital, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Agrigento
    Huge doric capital, Temple of Olympian Zeus, Agrigento

Roman monoliths

  • Flaminian Obelisk (263 t)
    Flaminian Obelisk (263 t)
  • Campensis Obelisk (230 t)
    Campensis Obelisk (230 t)
  • Vatican Obelisk (330 t)
    Vatican Obelisk (330 t)
  • Stone of the South (~1,000 t)
    Stone of the South (~1,000 t)
  • Unnamed monolith (1,242 t)
    Unnamed monolith (1,242 t)
  • Capital of Trajan's Column (53.3 t)
    Capital of Trajan's Column (53.3 t)
  • Shaft of Pompey's Pillar (285 t)
    Shaft of Pompey's Pillar (285 t)
  • Lateran Obelisk (455 t)
    Lateran Obelisk (455 t)
  • Roof slab of Mausoleum of Theodoric (230 t)
    Roof slab of Mausoleum of Theodoric (230 t)

See also

  • Record-holding monoliths in antiquity
  • List of largest monoliths in the world
  • List of obelisks in Rome

Notes

  1. ↑ If in two blocks.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 If monolithic.
  3. ↑ In case of Egyptian obelisks, date of ship transport to Rome.
  4. ↑ Although the mausoleum reflects Ostrogothic style, the method for moving the monolithic roof slab and positioning it on top of the building relied on the continuity of Roman techniques into the reign of Theoderic.

References

  1. ↑ Wirsching 2000
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Coulton 1974, pp. 7, 16
  3. ↑ Lancaster 1999, pp. 419–439
  4. ↑ Coulton 1974, p. 14
  5. ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 5.18 5.19 5.20 5.21 5.22 5.23 5.24 5.25 5.26 5.27 5.28 5.29 5.30 5.31 5.32 5.33 5.34 5.35 5.36 5.37 5.38 5.39 5.40 5.41 5.42 5.43 5.44 5.45 5.46 5.47 5.48 5.49 5.50 5.51 5.52 5.53 5.54 5.55 5.56 5.57 5.58 5.59 5.60 5.61 Coulton 1974, pp. 17–19 (appendix), remaining data taken from text
  6. ↑ Coulton 1974, p. 16
  7. ↑ "LacusCurtius • Vitruvius on Architecture — Book X". https://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/Vitruvius/10*.html. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4 8.5 Wirsching 2000, p. 271 (table 1)
  9. ↑ Lancaster 1999, p. 428
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Coulton 1974, pp. 16, 19
  11. ↑ Maxfield 2001, p. 158
  12. ↑ Lancaster 1999, p. 430
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Lancaster 1999, p. 426
  14. ↑ Jones 1993, p. 32
  15. ↑ Adam 1977, pp. 50f.
  16. ↑ "NOVA Online | Mysteries of the Nile | A World of Obelisks: Rome". https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/egypt/raising/rome.html. 
  17. ↑ Heidenreich & Johannes 1971, p. 63
  18. ↑ Coulton 1974, p. 7

Sources

  • Adam, Jean-Pierre (1977), "À propos du trilithon de Baalbek: Le transport et la mise en oeuvre des mégalithes", Syria 54 (1/2): 31–63, doi:10.3406/syria.1977.6623 
  • Coulton, J. J. (1974), "Lifting in Early Greek Architecture", The Journal of Hellenic Studies 94: 1–19, doi:10.2307/630416 
  • Heidenreich, Robert; Johannes, Heinz (1971), Das Grabmal Theoderichs zu Ravenna, Wiesbaden: Franz Steiner Verlag 
  • Jones, Mark Wilson (1993), "One Hundred Feet and a Spiral Stair: The Problem of Designing Trajan's Column", Journal of Roman Archaeology 6: 23–38, doi:10.1017/S1047759400011454 
  • Lancaster, Lynne (1999), "Building Trajan's Column", American Journal of Archaeology 103 (3): 419–439, doi:10.2307/506969 
  • Maxfield, Valerie A. (2001), "Stone Quarrying in the Eastern Desert with Particular Reference to Mons Claudianus and Mons Porphyrites", in Mattingly, David J.; Salmon, John, Economies Beyond Agriculture in the Classical World, Leicester-Nottingham Studies in Ancient Society, 9, London: Routledge, pp. 143–170, ISBN 0-415-21253-7 
  • Ruprechtsberger, Erwin M. (1999), "Vom Steinbruch zum Jupitertempel von Heliopolis/Baalbek (Libanon)", Linzer Archäologische Forschungen 30: 7–56 

Further reading

  • Lewis, M. J. T. (1984–85), "Roman Methods of Transporting and Erecting Obelisks", Transactions of the Newcomen Society 56: 87–110, doi:10.1179/tns.1984.005 
  • Wirsching, Armin (2000), "How the Obelisks Reached Rome: Evidence of Roman Double-Ships", The International Journal of Nautical Archaeology 29 (2): 273–283, doi:10.1111/j.1095-9270.2000.tb01456.x 
  • Wirsching, Armin (2003), "Supplementary Remarks on the Roman Obelisk-Ships", The International Journal of Nautical Archaeology 32 (1): 121–123, doi:10.1111/j.1095-9270.2003.tb01438.x 
  • Traianus – Technical investigation of Roman public works

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