Book excerpt: Alexandria Antiqua: A Topographical Catalogue and Reconstruction is an attempt to find a way through an archaeological labyrinth of fragmentary evidence. Taking into account the last two centuries of systematic research into the topography of the ancient city while integrating the latest discoveries, the volume aims to catalogue the archaeological sites in Alexandria, from the recordings of the French expedition (1798-99) to the present-day finds. The attempt is also made to reconstruct the urban layout and landscape at the time of the city's Graeco-Macedonian foundation in the 4th century BC, and then through the successive changes which took place up to the Arab conquest in the 7th century AD. To this end, a holistic approach to topographic reconstruction is adopted, where material culture is studied in conjunction with the historical record. The results are displayed in AutoCAD maps and over 340 illustrations.