The economic robustness of Paros during antiquity is owed to the exploitation of marble quarries and to its central place in the Aegean. The exceptional quality and the unique transparency of Parian marble made it the coveted prize in the entire Hellenic world. It was used not only in sculpture, but also for the construction of public buildings and temples. Simultaneously, a distinguished and active faculty of Parian sculpture was created, with Pan-Hellenic radiation, as it is derived from the works of sculpture that was found in Paros but also outside of Paros. Today, they adorn the important Museums not only in Greece, but also all over the world.
A large number of sculptures and architectural monuments reveal the artistic activity of Paros during the 6th and 5th century b.C. According to written sources, the city of Paros, the current Paroikia, was one of the most beautiful, full with brilliant public buildings, temples and monuments. The Parian marble was used for the construction of temples and public buildings at Delos, Delphi, Athens, Olympia and for the creation of their marvellous sculptures. Paros did not only supply the raw material, but also the craftsmen. A large number of Parian sculptors worked outside of Paros, such as Aristion, Agorakritos, Fidia's student in the Acropolis of Athens and Skopas, in the Mausoleum of Alikarnassos.