Messene

" Messene was once the ancient capital of the Messenia region of the same name. The Greek polis (city) was founded in 369 BC. Built by the Theban general Epaminondas after the victory over Sparta. Due to its strategic location, Messene was one of the most powerful Greek cities until Roman times. After that, Messene lost importance little by little. Today, the area at the foot of the 798-meter-high Ithome Mountain is considered one of the most extensive archaeological sites in all of Greece. Thanks to generous private donations, Messene has become a real model excavation site that is viewable and tangible even for non-historians. The excavations are constantly progressing and year after year new finds of the ancient city are brought to the surface. The terrain under Mount Ithome is very extensive. We recommend avoiding the midday heat as there is hardly any shade on the excavation area. The remains are very well reconstructed, so that you get an optimal picture of the entire complex. You'll see an amphitheatre, remains of an agora, an impressive Asklepieion temple and one of the largest stadiums in ancient Greece, including a grandstand lined with columns. After the walk around the facility, we stopped in the neighboring village of Arsinoi at "To tiganaki tis Xristitsas". The tavern is located in the middle of the pretty village square and serves delicious home-cooked food. The atmosphere with the colorful chairs is very cozy and the host is friendly and attentive."

"Messene is an ancient city located in the southwestern part of the Peloponnese region in Greece. It was founded in 369 BCE by the Theban general Epaminondas, and it played a significant role in ancient Greek history. "