PeloPonnese
M
ESSINIA
PeloPonnese
EATING
PeloPonnese
ANCIENT MESSINI
intact and impressive of all ancient Greek
stadiums.
Take the downhill turn-off near the mu-
seum, about 300m northwest of the square.
The first construction you come across
is the large amphitheatre, reconstructed
for contemporary use. The path leads past
the Fountain of Arsinoe building, which
supplied the ancient city with water. The ex-
tensive columned remains next to it are the
agora (marketplace) with the treasury in
its southwest corner. The Greek general Phi-
lopoemen was held prisoner by the Messin-
ians here in 183 BC and dispatched to the
other world with poison.
Beyond is the Sanctuary of Asclepius,
the spiritual centre that lay at the heart of
the ancient city, consisting of a rectangular
courtyard fringed with Corinthian columns.
This extensive complex was centred on a
Doric temple that once housed a golden stat-
ue of Ithomi. The modern awning west of
the temple protects the artemision, where
fragments of an enormous statue of Artemis
Orthia were found. The structures to the
east of the asclepion include the ekklesi-
asterion, which looks like a small amphi-
theatre but once acted as an assembly hall.
Nearby are the remains of a Roman villa,
the steel roof protecting the mosaic remains.
Head downhill to the large stadium,
which is surrounded by a forest of columns.
You can see where the Romans closed off
part of the athletics track, turning it into a
gladiator arena. On the left-hand side, near
the arena, are the VIP seats – the ones with
backs and with lion paws for legs. On the
right-hand side, near the intact gate of the
enormous gymnasium, are round holes in
stone slabs – ingenious Roman public toi-
lets positioned over a now dry stream.The cube-like building near the toilets is a
grave memorial to an important Messinian
family, and the Doric temple at the far end
of the stadium is a mausoleum of the Saith-
idae, a prominent Roman family.Museum MuSEuM
(adult/concession €2/1, museum & site €5/3;
h8.30am-8pm) The compact museum, by
the turn-off for the site, houses some won-
derful statuary from Ancient Messini. They
include the fine specimen of manhood that
is Hermes, fierce Artemis, an ugly Roman
emperor statue carved from a female Greek
statue, and also Machaon and Podaleiros,
the sons of Asclepius. The latter are thought
to be the work of Damophon, who special-
ised in oversized statues of gods and heroes
and who was responsible for many of the
statues that once adorned Ancient Messini.Arcadian Gate ArCHAEOLOGICAL SITE
It’s worth heading 800m along the road from
Mavromati village, past the museum at the
turn-off to the site, to the celebrated Arcadian
Gate. This unusual stone portal with a circu-
lar courtyard between the double gates and
an immense, half-collapsed gate post guard-
ed the ancient route to Megalopoli – now the
road north to Meligalas and Zerbisia – which
runs through the gate. Running uphill from
the gate is the finest surviving section of the
mighty defensive wall built by Epaminondas.5 Eating
Taverna Ithomi TAVErNA €
(%27240 51298; http://www.ithomi.gr; mains €5.50-11;
hnoon-11pm) The pick of a handful of local
kafeneia (coffee houses) and tavernas, this
one offers traditional cuisine with a view
over the ruins. Friendly owner Nikos is the
local ‘man in the know’, and besides grilledUNDERWATER WORLDSMessinia’s rich historical heritage also lies underwater. The latest ambitious government
project is to create an underwater park in two locations, one near Pylos and the other
around Sapienza Islet, just south of Methoni, to allow divers to explore a wealth of ship-
wrecks from through the ages.
Sapienza once lay on an important maritime route between Italy and the Middle East,
and the wrecks around the islet yield treasures such as granite columns from King Herod
of Palestine, Roman stone sarcophagi and amphorae.
The Bay of Navarino near Pylos hosted the immense naval Battle of Navarino in 1827
and the sea floor is littered with ship remains, the most impressive being the three Otto-
man warships. There’s also an immense recent shipwreck of the Irene Serenade tanker.
The project is still in the making; for updates, contact Ionian Divers (%27630 61551;
http://www.ioniandivecenter.gr).