The rock that dominates the west of Lentas Bay, is the one that gave its name to the settlement. According to the legend, the stone cape was one of the lions, which dragged the carriage of goddess Rea and became a stone in this place. Another mythological legend says that the place was visited by a queen from Africa, who had her favorite animals with her: lion, elephant, crocodile. She was so impressed by the beauty of the landscape, that she left these animals behind, to protect this land forever. The animals “petrified”, looking at Africa and waiting for her arrival, and adorn the area with one rocky cape that looks like a seated lion (Leo-Lentas), another rock in the shape of an elephant and a little farther a cape (Trachoulas or Trafoulas), which looks like a crocodile.

Archaeologists estimate that the name derives from the pre-Greek language and specifically from the Phoenician Lavi = lion or from the ancient pre-Greek word Levinthos. The first settlement of Lentas dates back to the Early Minoan time (2500-1900 B.C.). However, its great prosperity was in the Greco-Roman years, as a port of Gortyna, but also as a holy city, where Asclepius was worshiped. This is evidenced by the existence of the Asclepieion, which was founded in the 5th century B.C. and its fame spread not only in Greece, but also in North Africa, from where patients flocked, seeking healing. The altar, the base of the statue of Asclepius, two marble columns and some other parts from the monument are preserved in the surrounding area, with the most important one being a mosaic, which depicts a seahorse.

Gortyna during the 2nd century B.C. became the capital of Messara and a little later of the whole of Crete and this contributed to the special promotion of its port, namely the ancient Levina, (Lentas), from where the trade relations with Egypt and the East were served.

A few meters beyond the Asclepieionis the Byzantine church of Ag. Ioannis the Theologos (15th century A.D.), for the construction of which materials from the ancient monument and parts of its columns were used.