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- originally called Ithome
- belonged, perhaps, to the Mycenaean kingdom headquartered in nearby Pylos
- rebuilt, as Messene, around 369 B. C. by Epaminondas
- the Theban general who defeated the Spartans and liberated the helots
- became the capital of the state of Messenia

- excavation, by French archaeologists, began in 1823, but stopped 10 years later
- on-again, off-again digging until 1986
- when Petros Themelis took over and made Messene an award-winning archaeological site
- Europa Nostra Awards 2005 and 2011
The excavated site contains, among other things, the following structures:
- from the Classical Era (480 - 323 B. C.)
- from the Hellentistic Era (323 - 31 B. C.)
- stoas
- fountain
- bouleuterion
- gymnasium
- theater
- stadium
- various temples
- tombs
For more information about the site, see this UNESCO World Heritage page.
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