Eleusis was a deme of Athens and most famous for its annual festival of the Mysteries in honour of Demeter and Persephone. The site was also an important fortress protecting Attica and held several other important festivals, notably the Thesmophoria, the subject and title of a comedy play by Aristophanes. The site continued to be an important religious centre through Hellenistic and Roman times, when the site was significantly expanded with monumental architecture being added by several Roman emperors.
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Definition
Timeline
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c. 1900 BCEFirst recorded settlement at Eleusis.
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c. 1500 BCEFirst temple to Demeter & Persephone is built at Eleusis.
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c. 600 BCEThe Eleusinian Mysteries become part of the official Athenian religious calendar.
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c. 479 BCEEleusis is destroyed by the Persians.
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c. 450 BCEPericles oversees a significant rebuilding programme at Eleusis.
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c. 360 BCEEleusis is again expanded and new fortifications added.
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170 CEEleusis is destroyed by the Costobocs.
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170 CE - 180 CEMarcus Aurelius oversees a rebuilding programme at Eleusis which includes a new propylaea.
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379 CETheodosius I orders the closure of all Greek pagan sites.
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395 CEEleusis is detroyed in the Visigoth invasion.
