After the death of Alexander the Great, the radiance of the sanctuary began to decline and in 312 BC, it was destroyed by the Macedonian, Telesphorus. During the 3rd and 2nd centuries BC, however, important leaders and rich individuals continued to send offerings and a special significance is assigned to the votive offerings from Arcadia, Achaea and Macedonia during this period, as well as those from Asia Minor and Egypt. At this time, the two buildings on the west of the Altis were built which served the needs of the athletes' training: the Gymnasium and the Palaestra, or arena.

In 146 BC, Greece came under the control of the Roman Empire and conceded them the right to take part in the Olympic games which were considered Greek in origin. The sanctuary suffered significant plundering during the Mithridatic Wars and in 85 BC, during the siege of Athens, Sulla plundered the sanctuary and removed a significant amount of treasures from Olympia. In apparent support of this catastrophe, there was the terrible earthquake of 40 BC which caused serious damage, mainly to the large Temple of Zeus. However, during the years of Augustus Octavian (30 BC - AD 14), the sanctuary enjoyed a renewed prosperity and during the reign of Nero, the Olympiad of AD 65 was held two years later in AD 67, so that the emperor himself could take part. He won a number of events, many of which were unknown until then, Nero himself introducing them into the Olympic programme. In the first half of the 2nd century AD, the emperor Hadrian especially favoured the development of the sanctuary and in the latter half of the same century, Herodes Atticus built the Nymphaeum.

From the 3rd century AD, the glory of the Olympic games began to decline steadily and the participation of athletes from the various Greek towns became less and less. At the same time, many athletes from the provinces of the Roman Empire expressed their interest in the games and began to take part in the events. The destruction of the temples and other buildings of the sanctuary began in the second half of the 3rd century AD. In AD 267, the Eleans built a wall to confront the invasion of the Herulians using many architectural parts from the temples and buildings which they demolished. Their goal was to protect the Temple of Zeus and its chryselephantine statue within. The invaders did not eventually attack but the life of the sanctuary had reached its end.

Author's Note: If you finally decide to visit Greece Olympia is one of the first places that you should visit if you take a Tour.