How did the destruction of Eleusis by Alaric affect the ancient sanctuary?

The destruction of Eleusis by the Gothic leader Alaric in 395 ce had a profound and lasting impact on the ancient sanctuary. Following the attack, the site was left deserted and remained in that state until the 18th century, when it was eventually revived as the modern town of Eleusis.1

This event effectively ended the long history of the site as the home of the Eleusinian Mysteries, the famous secret religious rites of ancient Greece that had been celebrated there for centuries. While archaeological excavations conducted by the Greek Archaeological Society after 1882 were able to uncover the remains of the sacred precinct—including the Telesterion and the Great Propylaea—the physical destruction caused by Alaric’s forces marked the final decline of the sanctuary as an active center of worship.12