The Menelaion shrine, dedicated to Menelaus and Helen, underwent three distinct architectural phases. The earliest phase, dating to the late 8th or early 7th century BCE, is marked by scattered limestone blocks, which are not associated with a specific structure but correlate with strata containing votive offerings. In the 6th century BCE, a small monumental structure made of limestone was constructed, although many of its building materials were later found out of context, either in landfills or reused in subsequent constructions. This structure was eventually demolished in the 5th century BCE to make way for a new sanctuary, which was built atop the earlier edifice. Stratigraphic evidence confirms the continuity of cultic activity, though some researchers suggest that the earlier structure may have functioned as a warehouse during the 1909 excavations. The visible ruins of the Menelaion today belong to this 5th-century BCE sanctuary.

circa 1500 BCE- 400 CE

Mycenaean Period
Archaeological excavations at the Menelaion have revealed substantial remains of a Mycenaean complex on the hill of Profitis Ilias. The complex, constructed during the Late Bronze Age (circa 1400–1100 BCE), may have been a palatial or elite residence closely linked to the surrounding Spartan plain. Painted pottery, fragments of frescoes, and storage vessels indicate the wealth and status of its inhabitants. Oral traditions of the period preserved the memory of Menelaus and Helen as prominent figures, suggesting that the Menelaion may have been a locus for early heroic cult practices even before they were formally established.

Early Iron Age and Archaic Period
Following the collapse of Mycenaean society, the hilltop continued to attract local attention during the Early Iron Age. By the eighth century BCE, there is clear evidence for a heroön dedicated to Menelaus and Helen, including small terracotta votives, lead figurines, and animal bones from sacrificial feasts. The sanctuary gradually acquired more formal architecture, with a terrace and an altar built to accommodate seasonal festivals and cult gatherings. Literary sources, especially Homeric epics that began to take shape during this period, reinforced the cult of these heroic ancestors as Spartan identity became intertwined with legendary lineage.

Classical and Hellenistic Period
During the Classical and Hellenistic centuries, the sanctuary at the Menelaion remained a well-regarded cult center, especially for Spartan elites who emphasized their descent from heroic forebears. Modest structural additions, such as stone walls and small dedications, were introduced, and offerings shifted to finely made pottery, bronze votives, and other personal items. References to Menelaus and Helen in Classical literature sustained pilgrimage and ritual activity at the sanctuary as Spartan society evolved under the shifting power structures of Greece.

Roman Period
The cult of Menelaus and Helen persisted into the Roman period, lasting approximately from 31 BCE to circa 400 CE. Finds of Roman coins, pottery, and occasional inscriptions indicate that ritual observances and commemorations continued, perhaps integrated into a more eclectic set of local religious practices. Even as Spartan political and military prominence diminished under Roman rule, the Menelaion remained a recognizable sacred place until the gradual decline of pagan cults in Late Antiquity led to its eventual abandonment.

circa 500 BCE

Shrine of Helen and Menelaus
The Laconian shrine of Helen and Menelaus at ancient Therapne from c.700bce occupied a commanding position facing Mt. Taygetus on a spur high above the Eurotas, 2.5 kilometres (1.5 miles) south-east of the Spartan Acropolis. Epigraphy confirms that the principal figure venerated in the earliest phase was Helen.