Between 1749 and 1751, the antiquarians Robert Wood, John Bouverie and James Dawkins began an expedition to view the ancient sites of the Eastern Mediterranean which had hitherto been viewed as inaccessible to eighteenth-century tourists. Bouverie passed away in 1750, but Wood and Dawkins continued on to Syria and the Levant (now Lebanon) to view the ancient cities of Baalbek and Palmyra.

Due to the arid climate of the Syrian interior, the ruins were remarkably well preserved and provided exquisite examples of classical architecture. Unlike earlier antiquarian works which often portrayed only the most picturesque views of ancient sites, Wood also measured and recorded proportions of columns and remnants of friezes and ceilings. This approach to antiquarianism was one of the first of its kind and influenced both antiquarians and architects in Britain and France throughout the later eighteenth century. Wood was also a friend of the architect Robert Adam and the engravings made from Baalbek and Palmyra came to influence Adam's unique style, most notably at Osterley Manor and Syon House.