Built on the slopes of Mount Carmel , the settlement have a history spanning more than 3 @,@ 000 years . The earliest known settlement in the vicinity was Tell Abu Hawam , a small port city established in the Late Bronze Age ( 14th century BCE ) . In the 3rd century CE , Haifa was known as a dye @-@ making center . Over the centuries , the city have changed hands : being conquered and ruled by the Phoenicians , Persians , Hasmoneans , Romans , Byzantines , Arabs , Crusaders , Ottomans , British , and the Israelis . Since the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 , the Haifa Municipality have governed the city .