Advancing architectural techniques, together with improved transport, removed some limits on monumental building works. With organised mass labour, monuments could be constructed on a vast scale. Egyptian tombs and pyramids are some of the earliest examples of monumental architecture in the ancient world. The Greeks built magnificent temples, triumphal arches and monumental columns, as did the Romans. Such monuments were often erected to honour deities or victorious leaders. In conquered lands, they were an effective way of overawing the subject population and reminding them of their loyalties.
