The baths were probably destroyed by an earthquake that ravaged western Greece in 551 AD. The event was extraordinary and shook the region badly. Eight cities and countless towns were levelled to the ground (including all of Nafpaktos) and there was great loss of life. The countryside was rent asunder and many chasms appeared, often interrupting communications between neighbouring communities and forcing people to make use of many detours. The Roman baths lay abandoned for centuries, serving as a source of building material while the location was used as a Christian cemetery. The ruins were always visible and were extensively excavated and protected in the early 21st century.