Ancient Messini (Part 2)

A little further down the hill we crested a small ridge and were blown away by the fabulous sight of the horse-shoe shaped stadium. On 3 sides it was surrounded by long rows of Doric columned stoas. To the right, as we looked at it, was the large Gymnasium complex.

The view from our picnic spot   

By now rather hungry, we decided that there would be no better spot to take a break and eat our picnic lunch.

Prominent at the end of the stadium was a Doric temple-like building. After our lunch, we took a wander through the stadium to take a closer look. The building was the Mausoleum for burials of the elite Saithidae family, and had been in use from the 1^st to the 3^rd century AD. Eminent members of the family had held important offices such as High Priests and Helladarchs (Governors) of the Province of Archaia during the Roman rule. The Mausolum was the lowest point of the site and gave a good view back up the stadium and up the hill towards the new village.

Walking around the stadium we made our way towards the Gymnasium.

Propylon   

The Propylon (archway) built in the 1^st century AD was the entrance to the gymnasium. The young men of Messenia spent studied and trained in the gymnasium between the ages of 17 and 20; letters, athletics and weapons were the 3 disciplines.

Just beyond the Propylon was a rather unusual looking building. It turned out to have been built in the 3^rd century BC as a burial site for 8 members of an aristocratic Messenian family and it continued to be used until the 1^st century AD.

The Gymnasium Palaistra   

Washing basins   

The 3^rd century BC Palaistra functioned as a central courtyard and as a wrestling area. Beside it was a bathing area with 22 water basins.

Having looked at the gymnasium, we walked back up the hillside towards the theatre and the exit. We thought that we’d covered everything but there were a couple more buildings to look at that we’d missed on the way down.

Temple of Messene (L) and the Agora   

Meat market   

Half way back up the slope we came across the remains of the Temple of Messene. She was the pre-Dorian queen of the area after whom the city was named.

Just to its west are some rows of Doric columns, part of the 3^rd century BC Agora (market place). Connected to these was a collonaded covered courtyard which served as the city’s meat market.

6^th century Basilica of Messeni   

The last area which caught our eye was a semi-circular mosaic. This dates from 2-3^rd century BC and surrounded an earlier circular building. However, the area was subsequently rebuilt, resulting in the 6^th century Basilica of Messeni, which was entirely constructed from stone taken from the ancient buildings.

A few steps further up and we were back at where we had started, the theatre. It’s  a good theatre, but not as impressive as many we have seen in Turkey and Greece so we didn’t linger. Having left the main archaeological site, we visited the small museum and then it was time to head back to Pílos and return the hire car.

Ancient Messini, Greece