Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • An ancient region of southwest Greece in the Peloponnesus on the Ionian Sea. It fought a series of wars against Sparta c. 736 to 371 BC. The Romans conquered the area in 146 BC.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • proper noun A region in southwestern Peloponnese which has its modern capital at Kalamata. The original capital was at Messene.

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word Messenia.

Examples

  • From the top is an extensive view over the island of Sphacteria, the port, with the town of Navarino to the south, and a considerable tract of the territory anciently called Messenia on the east, with the conic hill, which, though some miles from the shore, is used as a landmark to point out the entrance of the port.

    The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction Volume 10, No. 284, November 24, 1827 Various

  • His name was Dionysius and he hailed from the Greek city of Messenia, near Sparta.

    Alexander the Great Philip Freeman 2011

  • His name was Dionysius and he hailed from the Greek city of Messenia, near Sparta.

    Alexander the Great Philip Freeman 2011

  • His name was Dionysius and he hailed from the Greek city of Messenia, near Sparta.

    Alexander the Great Philip Freeman 2011

  • Whatever the origins of helotism and its relation to slavery, it is reasonably certain that when the Spartans conquered Messenia in the southwest of the Peloponnese (probably in the eighth or seventh century), the native population became helots.

    OpEdNews - Diary: Palestinians in Gaza, the Modern Helots 2008

  • In 371, the Theban commander Epaminondas defeated the Spartans at Leuctra, and later, he invaded the Peloponnese, where he liberated the helots of Messenia.

    OpEdNews - Diary: Palestinians in Gaza, the Modern Helots 2008

  • In fact, the creation of a great number of helots in Messenia caused great problems and led to the introduction of a strict military discipline among the Spartans, who became a specialized military class.

    OpEdNews - Diary: Palestinians in Gaza, the Modern Helots 2008

  • After the conquest of Messenia this class was very numerous.

    Hellenica 2007

  • Naupactus, regarding the place as their native land (for Pylos is situated in the territory which was once Messenia), sent thither some of themselves, being such troops as were best suited for the service, who ravaged Laconia and did great harm, because they spoke the same language with the inhabitants.

    The History of the Peloponnesian War Thucydides 2007

  • As king of Pylus and Messenia, [Nestor] led his subjects to the Trojan war, where he distinguished himself among the rest of the

    Note: "Nestors" 2002

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.