During the second half of the 6th century BC, the Acropolis experienced intense building activity. The temple of Athena Polias underwent an expansion, and a stoa was erected, adorned with a marble pediment depicting a relief with virtually free-standing figures, illustrating the struggle of the gods against the giants, also known as gigantomachy.

In 480 B.C., the Persians carried out the sacking and destruction of the buildings that were on the Acropolis at that time, as Herodotus narrates.

During archaeological excavations in 1886, fourteen archaic korai and kuroi sculptures were found in a pit, presumably created during the Persian invasion, most notably the bearded Moschophore and the Rampin Head. The Moschophore depicts a young man carrying a newborn calf on his shoulders. All the sculptures of this period have almond-shaped eye features and an "archaic" style smile that conveys a pleasant serenity; his muscles are modeled with great elegance. These sculptures date from the early 6th century BC, are carved in marble and measure 163 cm in height; they are currently housed in the Acropolis Museum in Athens. As for the Rampin Head or Rampin Rider, it features a slightly turned head that also tilts the shoulders, as was common in equestrian statues to improve its visibility. The horse resembles specimens of the same period found in the Acropolis Museum. The garland suggests that the portrayed was a rider who had won a victory in one of the Panhellenic Games (possibly the Pythian games, in case the crown was made of oak, although due to the lack of clarity it could also be the Nemean or Isthmian games, which awarded crowns of celery). It is believed that this sculpture was created around 560 BC.