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The fortress of Ithomi played an important role in A' Messinian War in the
late 7th century BC, between Messenia and
Sparta.
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The fort was the last bastion of Messinia and was finally leveled after a
heroic siege. In the next few years Ithomi had a symbolic role at the
heart of conquered Messenia.
In 464 BC after a devastating earthquake in Laconia enslaved Messenians
revolted, fleeing again to Ithomi, rebuilding fortifications and then
resisting for many years before surrendering. With the support and
assistance of the Athenians they settled in Nafpaktos.
After the victory of Athens over Sparta in 426 B.C at Pilos and Sfaktiria
a lot of Messenians settled there. Perhaps that was when Nike of
Paioniou was devoted to
Olympia. The Athenian dominance in Pilos
remained until 421B.C and then the Messenians were transported by the
Athenians to settle in Kephalonia.
In 369 BC the Theban Epaminondas at the Battle of Leuktra, liberated the
area from the Spartan influence and chose Ithomi to build a new city,
Messini.
Pausanias has left us a description of the city (iv. 3 1?33), its chief
temples and statues, its springs, its market-place and gymnasium, its place
of sacrifice, the tomb of the hero Aristomenes and the temple of Zeus
Ithomatas on the summit of the acropolis with a statue by the famous Argive
sculptor Ageladas, originally made for the Messenian helots who had settled
at Naupactus at the close of the third Messenian War.
The other buildings which can be identified are the
theatre, the stadium, the council chamber or Bouleuterion, and the
propylaeum of the market.
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