The great love of the god Poseidon for the Nereid Amphitrite enticed the people of Tinos to dedicate a sanctuary to them. It was built during the period of Macedonian rule in the Cyclades (4th century B.C). The following century the sanctuary grew and enjoyed great prosperity. At that time, the sanctuary was dedicated both to the god of the sea and Amphitrite as a protector of fertility and a healer of diseases that plagued women. The fame of the sanctuary soon exceeded the borders of the island and attracted pilgrims from all over Greece and other parts of the then-known world. In the 2nd century B.C., the League of the Islanders, a federation of ancient Greek city-states encompassing the Cyclades islands, moved its headquarters to the sanctuary, which retained its glory until the Roman period. The birth of the Byzantine Empire and the advent of Christianity led to its decline and abandonment. Architectural and decorative elements from the temple served as building material for the construction of houses in Chora and the villages.