The Greek name of the Hellenistic town was Krokodeilon polis, 'Crocodiles City' (Strabo and Pliny),[1] also spelled Crocodeilopolis[3] or Crocodilopolis.

The first settlement dates to the Persian period (475-332 BCE), when the northern part of the Palestinian coast was given by the Achaemenid emperor to the king of Sidon, a Phoenician vassal[1] with a strong maritime presence.

[1] The town continued after the conquest by Alexander the Great throughout the Hellenistic period, when it was known as Krokodeilon polis, but ceased to exist around 100 BCE.

[citation needed] Hugh Grenier, Lord of Caesarea, donated the tower and its mound to the Knights Hospitaller, and in 1182 the gift was confirmed by his son.

Some six decades later, in 1898, the Ottoman authorities built a bridge on top of its ruined Roman precursor over the Crocodiles River near the tell, as part of preparations towards the visit of the German Emperor Wilhelm II, who requested to pass with his convoy from Haifa to Jerusalem along the coastline, rather than use the more inland route.

[10] Archaeological remains at the northern part of the mound are exposed to weathering by the sea, which makes protection and conservation measures necessary.

[11] An artificial flood plain was set up on the northern side of the restored Ottoman bridge, in order to protect it from high water levels of Nahal Tanninim, .

[citation needed] In 1979, a salvage excavation performed along the eroded western edge of the tell brought to light significant Byzantine remains.