Tel Ayalon is a Biblical mound, located south of Moshav Mevo Horon. It was populated starting from the Bronze period, and is referred to by 14th century BC Egyptian sources as Ilon.
The mound is identified as the city of Ayalon in the tribe allotted to Dan (Joshua 19: 40, 42: "...the seventh lot came out for the tribe of the children of Dan... And Shaalabbin, and Ajalon, and Jethlah"). It commands the valley of Ajalon, where Joshua confronted the coalition of the 5 Amorite kings (Joshua 10:12): "... the LORD delivered up the Amorites before the children of Israel, and he said in the sight of Israel, Sun, stand thou still upon Gibeon; and thou, Moon, in the valley of Ajalon".
Rehoboam son of Solomon fortified it (2 Chr. 5:6): "And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah....And Zorah, and Aijalon, and Hebron... And he fortified the strong holds, and put captains in them, and store of victual, and of oil and wine. And in every several city he put shields and spears, and made them exceeding strong...". In spite of Rehoboam's fortifications, it was destroyed by Egyptian Shishak in 924 BC (2 Chr. 12-2): "And it came to pass, that in the fifth year of king Rehoboam Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem...".
The city was rebuilt after the return from Babylon. During the Roman/Byzantine period the city was named Yalu. Remains of a Roman road passes along the western side of the mound, which was later repaved by the British.
The Crusaders built a fortress and named it Castellum Arnoldi. Remains of the walls are seen in this video on its south western side. Its purpose was to protect the strategic passage from Beit Horon ascent to Jerusalem. The Crusaders fortress was destroyed by Saladin in 1187.
The Arab village of Yalu existed around the mound until 1967.

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