▁bef its ▁the ▁temple ' s ▁hon ore e . ▁Arch ae ological ▁evidence ▁suggests ▁that ▁there ▁was ▁no ▁earlier ▁building ▁on ▁the ▁site ▁except ▁for ▁a ▁small ▁san ctu ary ▁that ▁was ▁burn ed ▁when ▁the ▁Pers ians ▁occupied ▁Ath ens ▁in ▁ 4 8 0 ▁BC . ▁The ▁name ▁These ion ▁or ▁Temple ▁of ▁These us ▁was ▁attributed ▁to ▁the ▁monument ▁under ▁the ▁assumption ▁it ▁hous ed ▁the ▁remains ▁of ▁the ▁A then ian ▁hero ▁These us , ▁brought ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁city ▁from ▁the ▁island ▁of ▁Sky ros ▁by ▁Kim on ▁in ▁ 4 7 5 ▁BC , ▁but ▁ref uted ▁after ▁ins cri ptions ▁from ▁within ▁the ▁temple ▁associated ▁it ▁firm ly ▁with ▁He pha est us . ▁ ▁Const ruction ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁battle ▁of ▁Pl ata ea , ▁the ▁Gree ks ▁sw ore ▁never ▁to ▁re build ▁their ▁san ctu aries ▁destroyed ▁by ▁the ▁Pers ians ▁during ▁their ▁invasion ▁of ▁Greece , ▁but ▁to ▁leave ▁them ▁in ▁ru ins , ▁as ▁a ▁perpet ual ▁rem inder ▁of ▁the ▁war . ▁The ▁A then ians ▁directed ▁their ▁funds ▁towards ▁re building ▁their ▁economy ▁and ▁strength ening ▁their ▁influence ▁in ▁the ▁Del ian ▁League . ▁When ▁Per icles ▁came ▁to ▁power , ▁he ▁en vision ed ▁a ▁grand ▁plan ▁for ▁transform ing ▁Ath ens ▁into ▁the ▁centre ▁of ▁Greek ▁power ▁and ▁culture . ▁ ▁Const ruction ▁started ▁in ▁ 4 4 9 ▁BC , ▁and ▁some ▁sch ol ars ▁believe ▁the ▁building ▁not ▁to ▁have ▁been ▁completed ▁for ▁some