1 Introduction

The tragic poet Euripides of the 5th century BC described Messenia as “a land blessed with water sources and suitable for livestock farming, and a climate that is neither too cold nor too hot.” [1]

The legend that the Heracleidae divided the lands by lot after returning to Peloponnesus arose because Messenia was richer than other regions. [2]

However, Messenia was also the last region of Peloponnesus to be settled by Greeks.

2 Founding of Andania and Pharae

2.1 Legend of the founding of Colonides

In 1562 BC, Cecrops, the first king of Athenians, landed at Mirinous on the east coast of Attica from Egypt. At that time, the people living there, led by Colaenus, migrated to the west side of the entrance to the Messenian Gulf and founded Colonides. [3]

However, Pausanias tells us that when Andania was founded in Messenia, the region was a no-man's land. [4]

Colaenus' founding of Colonides seems to be a fiction often found in Greek folklore, arising from the similar names.

2.2 Founding of Andania

2.2.1 Inhabitants of Andania

In 1410 BC, Polycaon, son of Lelex, moved to land about 47 km west-northwest of Lacedaemon and founded Andania. [5]

A large number of people from Argos, the birthplace of Polycaon's wife Messene, took part in the construction of the town. [6]

Shortly before this, the Achaeans from Thessaly, led by Achaeus, son of Xuthus, migrated around Argos. It is assumed that many of Andania's inhabitants were Achaeans from around Argos. [7]

2.2.2 Inhabitants of Andania

In five places in Pausanias’s Description of Greece, he describes Messene, wife of Polycaon, as the daughter of Triopas, son of Phorbas of Argos. [8]

Pausanias also reports that Messene's birthplace was Argos, and that her father was one of the best Greeks in terms of fame and ability. There is no better ruler of Argos than Danaus to father the wife of son of Lelex, who came with Danaus. [9]

Polycaon's father Lelex was the brother of Danaus' father Belus, and Polycaon and Danaus were cousins. [10]

Therefore, Triopas may have been Danaus' real name.

2.2.3 Birth of Messenia

Andania was a branch of Lacedaemon, but its inhabitants were unaware of this fact. They did not call their region Lacedaemon, but Messenia, after Polycaon's wife Messene. [11]

When the descendants of Polycaon became extinct after the fifth generation, the inhabitants of Andania took their heir not from Lacedaemon, but from Thessaly. [12]

2.2.4 The mysteries of the Great Goddesses

In 1385 BC, Caucon, son of Celaenus of Eleusis, visited Andania and introduced the Mysteries of the Great Goddess to Messene. [13]

Messene's sister Celaeno was the mother of Celaenus. This meant that Caucon visited Messene, the sister-in-law of his grandfather Phlyus. [14]

The father of Dysaules, father of Phlyus, father of Celaenus, father of Caucon, was Rharus, son of Cranaus, who was a Pelasginan, like Messene. [15]

In 1277 BC, Lycus, son of Pandion, visited Aphareus, son of Perieres, of Arene from Athens and performed a secret rite in Andania. [16]

The Mysteries of the Great Goddess were subsequently passed down throughout Messenia.

Even after the Dorians became ruler of Messenia in 1104 BC, the Mysteries of the Great Goddess continued to be practiced in Andania. [17]

When Ithome fell in a battle with the Spartans in 724 BC, the priests of the Mysteries of the Great Goddess fled to Eleusis. [18]

In 685 BC, when the Messenians rose against the Spartans, the priests of the Mysteries of the Great Goddess, who had fled to Eleusis, returned to Andania. [19]

In 668 BC, just before the fall of Eira, Aristomenes, son of Nicomedes, was attacked by the Spartans and buried a tin tablet inscribed with the Mysteries of the Great Goddess in a bronze jar in Mt. Ithome. [20]

The Messenians migrated to various places, and the Mysteries of the Great Goddess ceased.

After the Battle of Leuctra in 371 BC, the Mysteries of the Great Goddess were revived when Messenians returned home and Messene was founded. [21]

Pausanias tells the story of the discovery of the jar buried by Aristomenes. [22]

2.3 Founding of Pharae

In 1370 BC, Pharis, son of Phylodameia, daughter of Danaus, migrated from Aroe (later Patrae) in Achaia to near the mouth of the Nedon River in Messenia and founded Pharae. [23]

Phares, brother of Pharis, founded the same name town on the middle reaches of the Peirus River in Achaia. [24]

Pharis probably chose Messenia as his place of residence because his mother's sister Messene lived in Andania.

3 Age of Perieres, son of Aeolus

3.1 Discontinuation of Andania's successor

3.1.1 Successor Perieres

In 1310 BC, the descendants of Polycaon, son of Lelex, became extinct at the fifth generation. [25]

The inhabitants of Andania invited Perieres, son of Aeolus, from Thessaly to take charge of the town. [26]

Legend has it that Perieres was the son of Cynortas, son of Amyclas of Sparta.

It seems appropriate that the town that was founded after splitting from Lacedaemon would be inherited by the descendants of Lelex. However, considering that the inhabitants of Andania were Achaeans who immigrated from the surrounding area of Argos, it is more reasonable to assume that they received their successor from Thessaly. [27]

3.1.2 Reason for selection

Diomede, mother of Cynortas, king of Lacedaemonians at that time, was the daughter of Lapithus, the eponym of the Lapiths. [28]

Perieres' father Aeolus was Diomede's brother, and Cynortas and Perieres were cousins. [29]

This suggests that the inhabitants of Andania consulted the Lacedaemonians when deciding on the succession of the town.

3.2 Marriage from Mycenae

There was contact between the Achaeans of Andania and the Achaeans of Argolis, and Perieres took Perseus' daughter Gorgophone as his wife from Mycenae, which was gaining power at the time. [30]

3.3 Founding of Oechalia

In 1305 BC, Melaneus moved from Thessaly to near Andania and founded Oechalia (later Carnasium). [31]

Pausanias reports that Melaneus, a master archer, came to Perieres in Andania, but it is presumed that Perieres invited Melaneus. [32]

Melaneus appears to have been Perieres' brother.

The inhabitants of Andania were the Achaeans, who migrated from Thessaly to Messenia via Argos with Archander, the son of Achaeus.

However, Perieres, son of Aeolus, who was entrusted with Andania, belonged to the Lapiths, and it may have been difficult to subjugate the inhabitants of Andania. So, it is assumed that Perieres called for his brother Melaneus.

The inhabitants of Oechalia were therefore the Lapiths who migrated from Thessaly with Melaneus.

4 Age of Aphareus, son of Perieres

4.1 Founding of Arene

In 1280 BC, Aphareus, son of Perieres, left Andania to his brother Leucippus and moved to the west coast of Messenia, where he founded Arene. [33]

Aphareus took as his wife Arene, the daughter of Oebalus, his half-sister from Sparta, and named the town after his wife. [34]

Two sons were born to Aphareus and Arena, Idas and Lynceus. [35]

4.2 Emigration to Aetolia

In 1265 BC, Tyndareus of Sparta visited Arene with the help of his half-brother Aphareus. [36]

Tyndareus then emigrated to Aetolia, and his nephew Idas also emigrated with him. [37]

Tyndareus married Leda, daughter of Thestius of Pleuron, and Idas married Marpessa, daughter of Evenus. [38]

Idas lived in Aetolia until his daughter Cleopatra (or Halcyone) married Meleager, son of Oeneus of Calydon. [39]

During this time, a conflict broke out between Pleuron and Calydon, and the two fought separately, with Tyndareus siding with Pleuron and Idas siding with Calydon.

After Aphareus' death, Idas returned to Arene to succeed his father. [40]

After Idas returned, his brother Lynceus lived in Papae.

Philo of Byblos, from the 2nd century AD, tells us that Papae's colony was located in Crete. [41]

4.3 Marriage to Laconia

In 1256 BC, Dorodoche, daughter of Orsilochus, was married from Pharae to Icarius, son of Oebalus of Sparta. [42]

Icarius founded Pharis south of Sparta. [43]

Pharis was also called Pharae. [44]

The father of Dorodoche's father, Orsilochus, is presumed to be Pisus, son of Perieres, son of Aeolus. [45]

Upon Dorodoche's marriage, many Aeolis settled in Pharis.

Pharis was one of the last three Achaean towns left in Laconia, where the Dorians became rulers. [46]

4.4 Pylus founding tradition of Neleus

Pausanias tells us that Aphareus gave a region near the sea to Neleus, who had fled from Iolcus in Thessaly, and that Neleus settled in Pylus. [47]

However, it is believed that Neleus migrated from Iolcus in 1303 BC, one generation before the founding of Arene, and Pausanias referred to this incorrect tradition.

Aphareus was the son of Perieres, son of Aeolus, son of Lapithus, son of Aeolus, son of Hippotes, and Neleus was the son of Cretheus, son of Aeolus, son of Hippotes.

In other words, Neleus was a cousin of Aphareus' grandfather Aeolus.

5 Age of Idas, son of Aphareus

5.1 Return from Aetolia

After Aphareus died in 1245 BC, his son Idas returned to Arene from Calydon in Aetolia. [48]

5.2 Heracles' attack on Elis

In 1240 BC, Heracles attacked and captured Elis in Eleia. [49]

After this, Heracles attacked Pylus in Eleia and destroyed the town. [50]

Heracles seems to have gone as far south as Lepreus in southern Eleia.

Pausanias tells us that at Stenyclerus in Messenia, the children of Neleus made an oath with Heracles. [51]

However, this legend appears to be a myth spread by Cresphontes and his descendants, who captured Messenia after the return of the Heracleidae, to justify their rule.

There is no other tradition that Heracles ever set foot in Messenia.

5.3 Dioscuri's attack on Andania

In 1237 BC, Oebalus' son Icarius emigrated to Acarnania, and his brother Tyndareus returned to Sparta. [52]

Tyndareus attacked Andania, and his sons, Dioscuri, took captive the two daughters of Leucippus, the ruler of that town, and made them their wives. [53]

Tyndareus and Leucippus were half-brothers, and Dioscuri and their wives were cousins. [54]

The battle between Tyndareus and Leucippus appears to have been a continuation of the battle in Aetolia.

It is presumed that during the battle between Tyndareus and Idas, Idas' uncle Leucippus was on his side and attacked by Tyndareus.

5.4 Emigration to Euboea

In 1237 BC, Tyndareus attacked Eurytus, son of Melaneus, of Oechalia in Messenia. [55]

Eurytus migrated from Messenia to Euboea and founded Oechalia. [56]

It is assumed that the cause of the battle was that Eurytus had sided with Andania.

5.5 Adrastus’ attack of Thebes

In 1215 BC, Adrastus of Argos raised an army against Thebes, which included Messenians. [57]

The Messenians were probably led by two sons of Diocles of Pharae, Crethon and Ortilochus. They were descendants of Phylodameia, daughter of Danaus of Argos. [58]

5.6 Death of the Idas Brothers

The battle between Messenia and Laconia lasted nearly 30 years.

The trigger for the final battle was the kidnapping of Tyndareus' daughter Helen.

In 1210 BC, Idas kidnapped Dioscuri's sister Helen and gave her to Theseus in Athens. [59]

Peirithous, a friend of Idas and Theseus, were members of the same tribe whose common ancestor was Lapithus, the son of Aeolus, the eponym of Lapiths, and it is thought that Idas and Theseus were also close friends. [60]

Dioscuri went on an expedition from Sparta to Athens to recapture Helen.

This incident led to a direct confrontation between the Idas brothers and Tyndareus and his sons, who died, leaving Tyndareus behind. [61]

6 Age of Nestor, son of Neleus

6.1 Nestor, Successor of Idas

Pausanias reports that the heir to Idas died out and the kingdom went to Nestor. [62]

Pausanias mistakenly believes that Nestor succeeded Idas because Neleus and Aphareus were cousins and their common great-grandfather was Aeolus. [63]

Idas's great-grandfather Aeolus was Aeolus, son of Hellen, and Nestor's great-grandfather Aeolus was Aeolus, son of Hippotes.

Therefore, their common ancestor must be traced back to Hellen, son of Deucalion.

There is little evidence to suggest that Nestor was able to succeed Idas because he belonged to the same Hellenes as Idas.

There is no doubt that Nestor founded Pylus near Arene after Idas' death, and it is a historical fact that he ruled over Messenia. [64]

There are two possible reasons why Nestor extended his control from Eleia to Messenia.

6.1.1 Succession of Idas as son-in-law

It is assumed that Idas married his daughter to Nestor, a powerful man from Eleia, in order to counter the Lacedaemonians who had expanded their influence from the east.

For the following reasons, it is believed that Nestor had a young wife whose name is unknown.

1) Nestor was the oldest member of the Trojan expedition, but Nestor's son Antilochus was the youngest. [65]

2) Nestor's youngest daughter Polycaste was the wife of Telemachus, son of Odysseus. [66]

That is, Nestor had sons and daughters who were about the same age as his grandchildren.

Nestor is believed to have succeeded Idas as his son-in-law.

6.1.2 Inheritance by force

In the battles between the Idas brothers and the sons of Tyndareus, Arene fell into decline, and the town was probably destroyed. [67]

The inhabitants of Arene, feeling threatened by the Lacedaemonians, entrusted their town to Nestor, who founded Pylus near Arene. [68]

Alternatively, it is thought that Nestor took control of the region in response to the decline of Arene.

The latter reason seems plausible, considering that Melanthus was king of Messenia at the time of the return of the Heracleidae.

Melanthus was the son of Andropompus, son of Borus (or Penthilus), son of Penthilus (or Borus), son of Periclymenus, eldest son of Neleus, and was not a descendant of Nestor. [69]

In other words, it seems likely that the descendants of Neleus advanced into Messenia, which had declined due to the battle with the Lacedaemonians.

Descendants of Nestor lived in Pylus, founded near Arene, and descendants of Periclymenus may have lived in Andania.

6.2 About "sandy Pylus"

Homer describes the town where Nestor lived as "sandy Pylus." [70]

Strabo introduces the controversy regarding Pylus, listing three candidates. [71]

Homer answered this controversy by telling us that "sandy Pylus" was near the seven towns around the Messenian Gulf that Agamemnon had promised Achilles. [72]

The "sandy Pylus" of Messenia is not associated with Nestor, but it is inconceivable that Homer would give the same epithet to towns of the same name in different regions.

Homer distinguishes the Orchomenus of Boeotia by adding "Minyae" and the Orchomenus of Arcadia by adding "rich in flocks." [73]

In other words, "sandy Pylus", where Nestor lived, was located in Messenia.

6.3 Regarding the residence in Messenia of the sons of Asclepius

Pausanias tells us that people who followed the sons of Asclepius did not follow Nestor. [74]

In addition, Pausanias writes:

Asclepius was the son of Arsione, daughter of Leucippus. [75]

The sons of Asclepius campaigned against Troy as Messenians. [76]

Nestor saves Machaon, who was injured at Troy. [77]

Machaon's remains were brought back by Nestor and buried in Gerenia. [78]

A painting in the temple of Messene shows Asclepius and his sons, along with the kings of Messenians. [79]

From this it appears that Pausanias believed that Asclepius' two sons, Machaon and Podalirus, lived in Messenia.

However, the sons of Asclepius lived in Thessaly for the following reasons.

1) Asclepius was born on the banks of the Lethaeus river near Tricca in Thessaly. His sons led an army from Tricca on an expedition to Troy. Tricca was also home to the oldest shrine of Asclepius. [80]

2) Nestor buried the remains of Machaon, who died in Troy, in Gerenia. If Machaon lived in Messenia, Nestor would have given Machaon's remains to his wife Anticleia, and Machaon's remains would have been buried in Pharae. Nestor's return took place before Anticleia immigrated from Tricca in Thessaly, and Nestor seems to have given up on giving it to Anticleia and buried it in Gerenia. [81]

3) Machaon's brother Podalirus did not return from Troy and settled in Caria. If Podalirus had lived in Messenia, he would have brought back his brother's remains. When Podalirus learned that Thessaly had been taken by the Thesprotians, he entrusted his brother's remains to Nestor, and likely sought a permanent home in a foreign land. [82]

6.4 Relationship between Nestor and Machaon

Nestor extended his control to Messenia, but sought to use the influence of Lapiths magnates in Thessaly to subjugate the Lapiths, who were ruled by Idas.

Diocles, son of Ortilochus, who lived in Pharae, felt threatened by the Lacedaemonians who were advancing into Messenia. [83]

Nestor sought to gain the support of the Lapiths by arranging a marriage between Diocles' daughter Anticleia and a prominent Lapiths of Thessaly.

Shortly before this, the Lapiths of Thessaly had lost a battle with Heracles, and only Asclepius of Tricca remained in power. [84]

In 1200 BC, Nestor made a long journey to visit Tricca, where he was welcomed by Asclepius. [85]

Asclepius had two sons, Machaon and Podalirus, but Podalirus was not of marriageable age. Machaon already had three sons, but decided to take Anticleia as his wife. [86]

In other words, Nestor was the matchmaker for the marriage between Machaon and Anticleia.

6.5 Epigoni's attack on Thebes

In 1205 BC, the Epigoni attacked Thebes, and the Messenians went on an expedition with the Argives. [87]

The generals of the Messenians are presumed to be Crethon and Ortilochus, two sons of Diocles of Pharae, as in Adrastus' attack on Thebes. [88]

6.6 Menelaus's Messenia intrusion

Nestor was unable to subjugate all of Messenia. [89]

The Lacedaemonian king Menelaus, who succeeded Tyndareus, took control of Cardamyle, Enope, Hire, Pherae, Antheia, Aepeia, and Pedasus on the coast of the Messenian Gulf, which were beyond Nestor's influence. [90]

According to Homer, these seven towns had been under Menelaus' control since before the Trojan War. [91]

6.7 Trojan War Era

Nestor led the inhabitants of Messenia and the southern towns of Eleia on an expedition to Troy. [92]

Homer relates it thus. However, it is presumed that it was Antilochus, son of Nestor, who participated in the expedition, and not Nestor himself.

6.7.1 Emigration from Thessaly

Anticleia, the wife of Machaon, son of Asclepius, who lived in Tricca, fled Thessaly, which was occupied by the Thesprotians, and emigrated to Pharae, where her father lived. [93]

The two sons of Machaon and Anticleia, Gorgasus and Nicomachus, succeeded their mother's father Diocles to rule Pharae. [94]

Nicomachus was an ancestor of the 4th century BC philosopher Aristotle. [96]

7 Age of the return of the Heracleidae

7.1 Failure of Heracleidae return

7.1.1 Cleodaeus' expedition

In 1173 BC, Cleodaeus, son of Hyllus, son of Heracles, led the Dorians into Peloponnesus, attacked Mycenae, and destroyed the city. [97]

Recent archaeological research has confirmed traces of destruction by the Mycenae in the 12th century BC. [98]

Cleodaeus also destroyed Tiryns and Midea. [99]

Agamemnon was succeeded by his son Orestes, who migrated from Mycenae to Tegea in Arcadia. [100]

Orestes then assembled an army and expelled the Dorians.

Cleodaeus appears to have returned safely to Pindus in Doris, after which he had his son Aristomachus. [101]

7.1.2 Eldest son of Cleodaeus

However, some people, including Cleodaeus' eldest son, were unable to return to Doris and remained in Peloponnesus. They fled to Ire of Messenia and settled there.

When Heracleidae made their final return, their first destination was Messenia, probably in part to rendezvous with their remaining brethren. [102]

Polyphontes, the “True” Heracleidae, who rebelled against Cresphontes, son of Aristomachus, who later captured Messenia, is likely the son or grandson of Cleodaeus' eldest son. [103]

“True” probably meant the rightful heir of Cleodaeus, son of Hyllus, son of Heracles.

A genealogy shows that the age difference between Cleodaeus and Aristomachus is 50 years, suggesting that Aristomachus had several older brothers. [104]

7.2 The final return of the Heracleidae

7.2.1 Melanthus, ruler of Messenia

On the final return of the Heracleidae, the ruler of Messenia who confronted the Dorians was Melanthus, son of Andropompus. [105]

Many historical sources tell us that Melanthus was the king of Pylus. [106]

However, Melanthus did not live in Pylus of Messenia.

Melanthus was the son of Andropompus, the son of Borus (or Penthilus), the son of Penthilus (or Borus), the son of Periclymenus, the eldest son of Neleus. [107]

After the death of Idas, son of Aphareus, Nestor, son of Neleus advanced from Eleia to Messenia and took control of the Messenians. [108]

Nestor and his sons, Thrasymedes and Antilochus, lived in Pylus. [109]

Melanthus was a direct descendant of Neleus' eldest son Periclymenus. Melanthus probably lived in Andania, not in Pylus, where Nestor's descendants lived. [110]

After the Trojan War, the power of the descendants of Menelaus of Lacedaemon weakened, the descendants of Neleus increased in power within Messenia, and Melanthus became king of the Messenians. [111]

7.2.2 Melanthus’ migration to Athens

It is said that Melanthus asked the gods where he should live at Delphi and ended up going to Athens, where Eleusis was located. [112]

Ancient writers sometimes wrote 'by oracle' when the motive was unknown. There are no historical sources that tell us why Melanthus chose Athens as his place of migration other than the oracle, but it is assumed that the reason was as follows.

Pausanias tells us that both Melanthus' mother and his wife were Athenians, and it appears that Melanthus was the son-in-law of Thymoetes. [113]

The inhabitants of Pherae in Thessaly, pursued by the Thesprotians, migrated to Athens, led by Armenius, son of Zeuxippus, son of Eumelus. [114]

Henioche, daughter of Armenius, married Andropompus of Messenia, and had a son, Melanthus. [115]

It is assumed that the marriage between Henioche and Andropompus was related to people who migrated from Thessaly to other areas around the same time.

Henioche emigrated to Athens with her father Armenius, and Anticleia, the wife of Machaon, son of Aesculapius of Tricca, emigrated to Pharae of Messenia, her native place. [116]

Messenia was under the control of Andropompus, and Anticleia seems to have united Henioche and Andropompus, who had both fled Thessaly.

According to the genealogy, Melanthus was over 50 years old at the time of his emigration, and his son Codrus, who succeeded Melanthus, was over 30 years old. Thymoetes seems to have succeeded his son-in-law Melanthus as king of Athenians.

8 Age of Dorians

8.1 Age of Cresphontes, son of Aristomachus

8.1.1 Obtaining Messenia

In 1104 BC, Tisamenus, son of Orestes, who had been holed up in Sparta, surrendered the town to the Dorians and moved to Achaia. [117]

Upon their return, the Heracleidae distributed their territory, and Cresphontes, son of Aristomachus, gained possession of Messenia. [118]

Many historical sources report that Cresphontes conducted a fraudulent lottery. [119]

However, Pausanias reports the Messenians denying this. In other words, if there had been fraud, there was no way that Eurysthenes and Procles of Sparta would have cooperated in the return of Cresphontes' son Aepytus to Messenia. [120]

8.1.2 The end of Cresphontes

Cresphontes established the royal capital of Messenia at Stenyclerus. [121]

Cresphontes was killed along with his sons in a rebellion of the inhabitants. [122]

The leader of the rebellion was Polyphontes, who called himself the “True” Heracleidae. [123]

Polyphontes, as mentioned above, is thought to be the grandson of the eldest son of Cleodaeus, who tried unsuccessfully to return to Peloponnesus with Cleodaeus, the son of Hyllus, and remained in Ire of Messenia.

8.2 Age of Aepytus, son of Cresphontes

Aepytus was raised by his grandfather in Trapezus of Arcadia. [124]

In 1073 BC, Aepytus returned to Messenia with the support of his mother's brother Holaeas, Isthmius, son of Temenus of Argos, and Eurysthenes and Procles of Sparta. [125]

Aepytus practiced good government, and his descendants were called Aepytidae. [126]

8.3 Age of Glaucus, a descendant of Aepytus

Glaucus was the first king of the Dorians to sacrifice to Machaon, son of Asclepius, in Gerenia. [127]

Glaucus's ancestors had no connection to Machaon at all, and sacrifices to Machaon may have been to please the Achaeans under Glaucus' control.

Pausanias records Glaucus as the son of Aepytus, but there appear to be four generations missing between Aepytus and Glaucus. [128]

This event is estimated to have occurred around 905 BC.

8.4 Age of Isthmius, son of Glaucus

Isthmius built a sanctuary in Pharae for Gorgasus and Nicomachus, the two sons of Machaon and Anticleia. [129]

Gorgasus and Nicomachus were born in Tricca of Thessaly, and moved with their mother Anticleia to Pharae, where her mother's father lived. [130]

Gorgasus and Nicomachus succeeded Diocles, father of Anticleia, as rulers of Pharae. [131]

8.5 Age of Dotadas, son of Isthmius

Dotadas established a port at Mothone (old Pedasus) in southwestern Messenia. [132]

8.6 Age of Sybotas, son of Dotadas

Sybotas instituted a heroic sacrifice to Eurytus, son of Melaneus, at Oechalia, prior to the Mysteries of the Great Goddess at Andania. [133]

Sybotas' ancestor Heracles attacked and destroyed Eurytus, and Eurytus was Sybotas' enemy. Oechalia seems to have had descendants of residents from the time of Eurytus.

It is presumed that Sybotas' sacrifice to Eurytus was an attempt to appease the ancient inhabitants, and was a result of the weakening of the Dorians.

9 Age of Messenian War

9.1 Age of Phintas, son of Sybotas

9.1.1 Dispatch of choir to Delos

In 780 BC, the Messenians sent Apollo's sacrifice and a choir of adult men to Delos for the first time.

The ceremonial procession performed by the choir to the gods was taught by Eumelus, son of the Corinthian epic poet Amphilytus. [134]

The reason that not only the names but also the deeds of successive rulers from Cresphontes, the son of Aristomachus, have been recorded so far seems to be due to Eumelus researching and recording them.

Eumelus belonged to the Bacchiadae and was a person who summarized the history of Corinth from its founding in the "Corinthian History". [135]

9.1.2 Teleclus murder case

In 770 BC, the Messenians murdered Teleclus, king of Sparta, at Limnaeum, near the border between Messenia and Laconia. [136]

Pausanias relays the arguments of both the Spartans, who claim that Teleclus was at fault, and the Messenians, who claim that Teleclus acted unjustly. [137]

It appears that the Messenians were right, as there was no immediate battle.

9.2 Age of Antiochus and Androcles

Conflicts also arose with Sparta during the time of Phintas' two sons, Antiochus and Androcles.

Polychares, who lived in Messenia, committed murder out of a grudge against the Lacedaemonians. [138]

The Messenians, who were asked by Sparta to hand over Polychares, were divided in two and a battle ensued. [139]

Androcles was killed by opponents, insisting that Polychares should be extradited. [140]

Antiochus, who led the opposition, also died a few months later. [141]

9.3 Age of Euphaes, son of Antiochus

In 743 BC, Spartans led by Alcamenes, son of Teleclus, captured Ampheia in Messenia by surprise. [142]

The Spartans sought to seize Messenia because the region was rich. [143]

Before starting the battle, the Dorians spread a story that Cresphontes had gained Messenia by illegal casting. The Dorians cited the fraudulent drawing of lots as one of the reasons for starting the war, but this was denied by the Messenians. The theory was that if there had been fraud in the drawing of lots, Eurysthenes and Procles would not have helped Aepytus, son of Cresphontes, return to the throne of Messenia. [144]

9.4 Age of Aristodemus

9.4.1 Fall of Ithome

Aristodemus, who succeeded Euphaes, was a descendant of Aepytus. [145]

Aristodemus committed suicide after fighting the Spartans for six years and several months. [146]

In 724 BC, the Messenians abandoned Ithome, ending a 20-year war. [147]

9.4.2 Emigration to Italy

Some of the Messenians who fled to Macistus in central Eleia, led by Alcidamidas, migrated to the southern part of the Italian peninsula and founded Rhegium. [148]

9.5 Age of Aristomenes

9.5.1 Uprising of the Messenians

Those who remained in Messenia came under the control of the Lacedaemonians. [149]

In 685 BC, 39 years after the fall of Ithome, the Messenians revolted and fought against the Lacedaemonians in Derae, but without victory. [150]

Their leader was Aristomenes, son of Nicomedes and Aristodama, who lived in Andania and belonged to the Aepytidae. [151]

A year after the battle at Derae, the Messenians and Lacedaemonians, cheered from all over, fought a battle at the Boar Mound near Stenyclerus. [152]

The Messenians defeated the Lacedaemonians and won. [153]

In 679 BC, there was the Battle of the Great Foss Messenia. [154]

In this battle, the Messenians were defeated by the treachery of Aristocrates, son of Hicetas, king of Arcadia, and were exiled to Mount Eira. [155]

9.5.2 Fall of Eira

The Messenians abandoned Eira in the 11th year of the siege.

The fall of Eira was at the time of the Autosthenes archon of Athens, in the first year of the 28th Olympiad, i.e. in 668 BC.

At the fall of Eira, Aristomenes told his soldiers of the valiant deeds of the people of Smyrna in their fight against Gyges, king of Lydia. [156]

It is likely that Aristomenes was able to learn about the events that took place in a distant region shortly before the fall of Eira because of his connections with his hometown.

The ancestors of the inhabitants of Smyrna were the people who, chased by the Heracleidae, migrated from Messenia via Athens to Ephesus, from where they separated and founded Smyrna. [157]

9.5.3 Emigration to Italy

Some of the Messenians who fled Mount Eira migrated to Italy from Cyllene in Eleia. [158]

Cyllene was the outer port of Elis, but it was also a trading port for the Arcadians, allies of the Messenians. [159]

In 1240 BC, the emigrants of Evander, son of Themis, set out from Cyllene to migrate to Italy. [160]

The Messenians who fled from Mount Eira fled to the Arcadians, and from there went to Cyllene. There was a road connecting Tegea in Arcadia and Olenus in Achaia, and Cyllene was located along that road. [161]

In 667 BC, the Messenians, led by Gorgus, son of Aristomenes, and Manticlus, son of Theoclus, cohabited with the inhabitants of Zancle (later Messene) in Sicily. [162]

In 494 BC, Zancle was taken by the Samians and its inhabitants were taken as slaves by the Hippocrates of Gela. [163]

9.5.4 Descendants of Aristomenes

In 666 BC, Aristomenes moved to Rhodes, where he died of illness. [164]

The daughter of Aristomenes married Damagetus of Ialysos in Rhodes, and Dorieus was born.

Damagetus is thought to be a descendant of Althaemenes, son of Ceisus, son of Temenos, who migrated from Argos to Rhodes in 1070 BC. [165]

The descendants of Diagoras, son of Damagetus, son of Dorieus, became a prestigious family called Diagoridae. [166]

Among them was Dorieus, son of Diagoras, who won three times at Olympia, eight times at Isthmia, and seven times at Nemea. [167]

Dorieus was executed by the Spartans, ironically for supporting the Spartans who fought against his ancestors. [168]

End