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Messenia (ancient region)

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in Arcadia, became a powerful check on Sparta. Other towns, as well, were founded or rebuilt at this time, though a great part of the land still remained very sparsely populated. Although quite independent, Messenia never became really powerful or able to stand without external support. After the
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In 146 BC, the Messenians, together with the other states of Greece, were brought directly under Roman sway. For centuries there had been a dispute between Messenia and Sparta about the possession of the Ager Dentheliales on the western slope of Taygetus: after various decisions by
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for some seventeen years (685 BC—668 BC). Descriptions of this revolt indicate that Messenia was allowed to retain a certain degree of autonomy after the first war, since they describe battles between organized armies on both sides. However, the stronghold of Ira
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invaded Messenia, and liberated it from Spartan rule. Epaminondas invited the exiled Messenians scattered in Italy, Sicily, Africa and elsewhere to return to their country. The city of
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and the Megalopolitans. A war afterwards broke out with the Achaean League, during which Philopoemen was captured and put to death by the Messenians (183 BC), but
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Ancient Messenia descended continuously without change of name and with little change of territory to the modern Regional Unit of Greece of the
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ended in the subjugation of Messenia by Sparta (ca. 720 BC). Two generations later the Messenians revolted and under the leadership of
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During the Archaic period the relative wealth of Messenia in fertile soil and favourable climate attracted the neighbouring
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destroyed Sparta and caused great loss of life. The insurgents defended themselves for some years on the rock-citadel of
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have revealed for Messenia's late Bronze Age (14th century BC) a bureaucratic, agricultural kingdom ruled by the
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went along the Taygetus ridge up to the Koskaraka river, and then along that river to the sea, near the city of
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in the northern plain, and then extended, first their suzerainty, and then their rule over the whole district.
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to seize Messene, but the attempt failed and cost the life of Demetrius. Soon afterwards the Spartan tyrant
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and avoided further conflict in the 4th century BC. Subsequently, the Messenians joined with the
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has been identified with the modern site of Ano Englianos, in western Messenia. Excavations at
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ran along the tops of Mount Elaeum and Mount Nomia and then through foothills of
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succeeded in taking the city, but was forced to retire by the timely arrival of
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by the Messenians, it was claimed, which, in spite of the heroism of King
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The earliest inhabitants of Messenia were thought by the Greeks of the
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in 371 BC, when the Spartans suffered a severe defeat at the hands of
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describes how the Messenians endured the insolence of the masters:
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was founded in 369 BC to be the capital of the country and, like
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broke out—as a result of the murder of the Spartan king
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took the city in the following year, and it again joined the
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Index

Ancient Messenia
references
inline citations
improve
introducing
Learn how and when to remove this message
Ancient Greece
Burial chamber, Pylos
Pylos
Map of ancient Messenia
Peloponesse
Messene
Doric
Ancient Greek
Peloponnese
Messenia
Greece
Elis
Neda
Arcadia
Taygetus
Laconia
Abia
same name
Classical period
Pelasgians
Aeolian
Pylos
Pylos
Nichoria

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