▁the ▁northern ▁coast ▁of ▁Egypt , ▁with ▁an ▁ ▁long ▁beach , ▁about ▁ ▁away ▁from ▁C airo , ▁in ▁the ▁El ▁Al ame in ▁area . ▁ ▁History ▁Le uk as pis ▁was ▁a ▁large ▁port ▁town , ▁with ▁a ▁population ▁around ▁ 1 5 , 0 0 0 . ▁The ▁center ▁of ▁the ▁town ▁featured ▁a ▁bas il ica ▁and ▁a ▁town ▁hall ▁that ▁was ▁converted ▁into ▁a ▁Christian ▁church . ▁It ▁was ▁probably ▁an ▁important ▁trad ing ▁center ▁between ▁Egypt ▁and ▁Lib ya , ▁and ▁appears ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁a ▁major ▁center ▁for ▁C ret ian ▁imports . ▁The ▁settlement ▁was ▁destroyed ▁in ▁ 3 6 5 , ▁when ▁an ▁earth qu ake ▁off ▁the ▁coast ▁of ▁Cre te ▁created ▁a ▁t sun ami . ▁The ▁town ▁was ▁not ▁re built , ▁partially ▁due ▁to ▁the ▁cr umb ling ▁state ▁of ▁the ▁Roman ▁Empire . ▁Le uk as pis ▁was ▁lost ▁until ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁when ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁engine ers ▁who ▁were ▁building ▁roads ▁in ▁Marina ▁revealed ▁ancient ▁houses ▁and ▁tomb s . ▁ ▁of ▁surrounding ▁land ▁was ▁designated ▁an ▁ar che ological ▁area , ▁and ▁exc av ations ▁began ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 0 s . ▁Prior ▁to ▁the ▁site ' s ▁discovery , ▁the ▁port ▁area ▁of ▁the ▁settlement ▁was ▁destroyed ▁to ▁make ▁a ▁man - made ▁l ago on ▁for ▁a ▁resort . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁the ▁Egypt ian ▁government ▁started ▁to ▁open ▁up ▁Le uk