MESSENIA, me'se nl-a, Greece, a nom archy in the western part of Morca pelopon nesus), bounded on the north by Eli s; and 'Achaia and Arcadia, on the east. by Arcadia and Laconia, on the south and west by the Ionian Sea. The greater part of the surface is a fertile plain, hut there are mountainous lands in the east and northeast. Kalamata, the capital, is in the southeast on the Gulf of 'Koron (Messenian Gulf). When Messenia was a state of ancient •Greece its chief cities were Methone and Pylos (Navarino). Later Mes sene ' was the capital, and the strong mountain fortress was Ithome. A ridge of Mount Taygetus separated Messenia from Messenia is celebrated for the long struggle of the inhabitants with the Lace drnonians in defense of their liberty. In the 'first Messenian War (743-723 B.c.) the Lace da monians, with the Athenians, invaded Mes senia. For 20 years the Messenians defended themselves valiantly under their king Arista demus, who in consequence of an answer of the Delphic oracle which promised them the victory on condition of the sacrifice of a virgin of the royal family, offered his own daughter as the Her lover, to save her life, de clared her to be pregnant by himself; • and to prove her stabbed her with his own and caused her to be opened and The though for some tine wetè finally obliged to submit by the loss of About 40 years after they again and thus com menced the second Messenian War (685 B.c.),
which ended in their entire A part of the Messenians to Sicily, and there founded Messana (see Mas3twA) on the site of the ancient Zancle Those who remained were reduced to the state of After 200 years of servitude they again took 'up arms. This third Messenian War lasted 10 Years (465-455 sc.), and resulted in the expulsion of the Messenians from the•Pelo Epaminondas restored gather ng together the exiles from the various lands in which they were scattered. Within the space of 85 days they completed and fortified Mes sene (369 a.c.) and maintained their independ ence till the country was conquered by the Romans (146 a.c.). The Messenians remained true to their customs, manners and language through all changes of fortune.