Not much has been preserved of Hellenistic palaces. Often we can only identify their (approximate) location, and sometimes not even that. The proverbial exceptions are Pella and Vergina in Macedonia, Pergamon, and the Hasmonean and Herodean palaces in Judaea. This lack of material is the result of sites being built over or otherwise lost, but also of archaeological habit. The exceptions mentioned above demonstrate what can be realised if a real effort is made (recent work in Messene on the Peloponnese is another example of how a shift of focus can have spectacular results).

Most Hellenistic palaces we know of were located inside, or adjacent to, cities. This is indicative of the importance that cities held for the empires. There was also a logistical reason: only at civic markets could enough surplus food be accumulated to feed the king's household and army, as well as fodder for horses and pack animals. Logistical requirements were presumably an additional reason for the nomadic behaviour of the Seleukid court and army. The Ptolemies, on the other hand, were able to provide their court with a more or less permanent base because their principal city, Alexandria, could be easily supplied from Egypt by river transport.