Extent of Corruption: In light of these many examples of crimes and punishments at Olympia and Delphi, one might presume that these panhellenic sites were riddled with corruption. There is, however, a modern conception of Greek athletic purity that opposes ancient authors' examples of illegal activities having occurred. It therefore seems invalid to accept a position that either perpetuates modern misconceptions of virtue, or that denies Olympia and Delphi's respectable positions in an Archaic world shunning money's corruption (Young, 63).

So, perhaps it is too difficult to discern the exact degree of crime's pervasiveness at panhellenic sites, and the extent of subsequent punishments for the crimes, but there are certain circumstances that prevent one from simply overlooking the presence of illegal activity at Olympia and Delphi. First, the increasing quantity and distribution of wealth in the Mediterranean world at the height of Olympia and Delphi's fame, and the proliferation of monuments in Apollo and Zeus' temples at Olympia and Delphi, fostered both a desire for riches and an opportunity for those riches to be acquired regardless of any prohibitory laws. Second, the political implications of winning at the Olympic and Pythian games were so extensive that it is entirely conceivable for athletes to have desired victory at all costs. Finally, the potential for exploitation of this political importance, and the political scene of seemingly apolitical sites, conclusively exposed Olympia and Delphi to corruption. It is therefore a testament to both the strength of Greek religious sanctity and to a desperate need for interstate stability that Olympia and Delphi were able to function in any realm of integrity.