Follow the sign to National Park Apollonia by Yigael Yadin street. Igal Yadin was famous Israeli archaeologists but he is more known as Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces. Let us start to tell the story of Appolonia Arsuf. The city of Arsuf was founded at the beginning of the period of Persian rule (6th century to 4th century BC). The Phoenicians called the city captured by the Persians in honor of Reshef, the Phoenician god of war and thunder. The city was included in the protectorate of Sidon and entered the sphere of Phoenician influence. The Phoenician presence in Reshef grew rapidly and the city soon became famous, thanks to the production of a purple colored dye, produced from the shells of mollusks that lived along the coast, as well as extensive sea trade with the islands of the Aegean Sea and Greece.