Step into the misty past with a fascinating half day guided tour of the archaeological site of Messini. First founded under the name Ithome during the Bronze Age, ancient Messini would come under the dominion of Sparta who ruled over the Messinians with a heavy hand until they were defeated by the Thebans under General Epaminondas at the battle of Leuctra in 371 BC.
During the subsequent Theban invasion of the Peloponnese in 369 BC, Epaminondas rebuilt the city of Messini over the ruined remains of Ithome and sent envoys across the Mediterranean to invite the Messinians who had fled from their Spartan overlords to return home and reclaim their ancestral city. Many heeded his call and thus ancient Messini was reborn. The settlement flourished well into the postclassical era, a fact attested to by the many well preserved archaeological findings that have been dated to the Hellenistic and Roman times.
Several of the ancient city’s public buildings and monuments remain in remarkably good condition including an impressive ancient theater known as the Odeon. If you’re interested in ancient Greek history, a visit to ancient Messini is sure to scratch that culture itch!
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