The city of Tyre is located on a peninsula 83 km south of Beirut that was once completely separated from the mainland. Here very recent excavations have revealed the ruins of cities of different epochs superimposed one on top of the other, making it possible to trace its history backwards in time. The top layer, an Arab city, is followed by layers of Byzantine, Roman, Greek and finally Phoenician ruins. A monumental arch of triumph leads to a paved road bordered by numerous sarcophagi and to the Hippodrome, one of the largest of the Roman period. A unique square amphitheater of the Roman era has been restored. Excavations are revealing the immense proportion of Tyre’s southern harbor where Alexander the Great’s fleet dropped anchor after a 7-month siege of the town.