GREECE PELOPONNESE MESSINIA MESSENE

City walls

The site of ancient Messene is one of the archaeological highlights of the Peloponnese, but because of its somewhat remote location it is not visited by many tourists. Yet it is only 16 km north of modern Messini, at the village Mavromati.

The easily defendable limestone cone of Mount Ithomi has always been a point of retreat and escape for the local population in the three Messinian Wars that started in 743 BC and - with long interruptions - lasted until 450 BC. It was not before the 4th century BC that Messinia managed to shake off the subjugation by Sparta. The town of Messene, founded in 369 BC after Epaminondas had defeated the Spartan army at Leuktra, then attracted many Messinians, even those in Italian emigration.

The fortifications of Messene date from the 3rd century BC, one of the most important achievements of ancient military architecture. Its walls with towers set at intervals had a length of 9 km, and particularly near the Arkadian Gate they are well preserved.

I have never seen the walls of the Babylonians, nor the Memnonian walls of the Persian Susa, nor have I heard them described by eye-witnesses, but the places which appear to me to be fortified better than others, namely, Ambrosus of Phocis, Byzantium, and Rhodus, are not to be compared in this respect to Messene." (Pausanias, 160 AD)

The area of ancient Messene:

Above right and below: The Arkadian Gate is a symbol of the city's stength, exemplarily combining sophisticated fortification technique with aesthetical principles. The square building with a circular interior space of 20 m diameter effectively guarded the main road artery connecting the city with Arcadia. - The huge block of stone that spanned the gate with a width of 5.3 m still lies on the spot. And on the ancient pavement of the gate, the tracks of the cart wheels are still preserved (photograph below right). Two square towers flanked the outer gate but only fundaments remain of this structure.

Below: In the surroundings of the Arkadian Gate are five grave chambers that contained marble sarcophagoi with the bones of dead members of eminent Messenian families.