The ancient city of Elea, which derives its name from the local spring Hyele, was founded around 540 B.C. by a group of exiles from the Greek city of Phocaea, in present-day Turkey, occupied by the Persians.

The city, which was known in the 5th century B.C. mainly for Parmenides and Zeno, founders of the famous Eleatic philosophy school, reached a period of great development in the Hellenistic Age and in the Roman Age (late 4th century B.C. – 5th century A.D.), when its name was modified to Velia.