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Classical Mythology Greek and Roman myths, gods, heroes, and epic tales Norse Mythology Vikings, Asgard, Ragnarok, and the nine realms Celtic Mythology Irish, Welsh, and Gaelic legends and folklore Arthurian Legends King Arthur, Camelot, the Round Table, and the Holy Grail Egyptian Mythology Pharaohs, pyramids, and ancient Nile deities Japanese Mythology Shinto gods, spirits, and legendary creatures Chinese Mythology Dragons, immortals, and celestial beings Aztec Mythology Mesoamerican gods, rituals, and creation myths Ancient Literature Classical texts, translations, and literary analysis
Greek Gods The Olympians, Titans, and primordial deities Roman Gods Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and the Roman pantheon Norse Gods Odin, Thor, Loki, and the Aesir and Vanir Egyptian Gods Ra, Osiris, Isis, Anubis, and more Celtic Gods The Tuatha Dé Danann and Celtic deities Aztec Gods Quetzalcoatl, Tezcatlipoca, and Aztec deities Japanese Gods Amaterasu, Susanoo, and Shinto kami Chinese Gods Jade Emperor, Dragon Kings, and celestial beings View All 150+ Deities Browse the complete collection of mythological deities View all gods & deities
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  1. Classical Mythology
    Pantheon Heroic Age Royal Houses Geographia Facts & Figures Genealogy Bibliography About Classical Myths
  2. Geographia
    Map of Aegean Map of Argolis Map of Italy Mainland Greece Peloponnesus Islands Asia & Africa Italy
  3. Peloponnesus
    Isthmus Sicyonia Argolis Achaea Elis Arcadia Laconia Messenia
  4. Messenia

Messenia

The first ruler of Messenia was Polycaon. Polycaon founded the city of Andania. Married to Messene, he named the whole region after his wife.

A few generations later, with the arrival of the Aeolid Perieres, the capital was moved to Arene. Pylas arrived shortly after, from Megara. Driven out of city of Megara, he founded Pylus on the Messenian coast. Another Aeolid named Neleus drove out Pylas from his city. Pylus became a capital at Aphareus' death in Arene. A new capital, Stenyclerus, was built at the time of the Heraclids. For the genealogical trees, see House of Messenia and the Aeolids in Messenia).

See the Aeolids in Messenia, for the history of the Messenia.

Major cities of Messenia were:

Andania

Andania

Arene

Arene

Pylus

Pylus

Related Information

Name

Messenia, Μεσσηνία.

Founder

Polycaon

Rulers

Polycaon and Messene; Perieres, Aphareus and Leucippus, Neleus, Nestor. The Heraclids rulers: are Cresphontes, Polyphontes, Aepytus, Glaucus.

Jimmy Joe Timeless Myths

By Jimmy Joe

Peloponnesus:

  • • Isthmus
  • • Sicyonia
  • • Argolis
  • • Achaea
  • • Elis
  • • Arcadia
  • • Laconia
  • • Messenia
Andania

Andania

Andania became the first capital of Messenia. It was founded and ruled by Polycaon and his wife Messene. The whole region of Messenia was named after his wife.

August 8th, 1999 • Jimmy Joe
Arene

Arene

Arene was a city of Messenia. The location of Arene is unknown. It was founded by Perieres, an Aeolid from Thessaly.

August 8th, 1999 • Jimmy Joe
Pylus

Pylus

Pylus or Pylos was founded by Pylas, exiled king of Megara. Pylas came to Messenia, and established a city on the southwest coast of the Peloponnesus. An Aeolid named Neleus drove Pylos out of his city, and became Pylus' second king. The city enjo...

August 8th, 1999 • Timeless Myths
Megara

Megara

Megara was a city situated on east side of the Isthmus of Corinth, a seaport to the Saronic Gulf. Its citadel was called Nisa. The city was founded by Car, son of Phoroneus. Later, Lelex, a descendant of Io, established a dynasty that ruled Megara...

August 8th, 1999 • Jimmy Joe
House of Sparta

House of Sparta

The large family tree above combines the Houses of Laconia and Messenia together. The links between the two kingdoms come from marriages. The first link was when Polycaon, son of Lelex, migrated to Messenia and married the Argive princess, Messene...

July 28th, 1999 • Jimmy Joe
Arcadia

Arcadia

Arcadia was a large central region of the Peloponnesus. Arcadia was landlocked and mountainous. Either Pelasgus or his son Lycaon were said to be the first ruler of Arcadia. The region was named after Lycaon's grandson, Arcas, the son of Zeus and ...

August 8th, 1999 • Jimmy Joe
Perieres

Perieres

Perieres (Περιήρης) was the son of Aeolus and Enarete. He was the brother of Cretheus, Athamas, Sisyphus and Salmoneus. At the death of Polycaon, king of Messenia, people asked Perieres to rule the kingdom, since Polycaon had no son or heir. He li...

April 27th, 1999 • Jimmy Joe
Laconia

Laconia

Laconia was the southernmost region of the Peloponnesus. Its principal city was Sparta. Lelex was the first ruler of Laconia. His people were known as the Lelegians. It wasn't until three generations later that Lacedaemon married Sparta, the daugh...

August 8th, 1999 • Jimmy Joe
Tegea

Tegea

Tegea was a city in southeastern Arcadia. In the time of Aleüs and his descendants, it was the capital of Arcadia. Lycurgus and his brothers, Cephalus and Amphidamas, ruled Tegea and Arcadia together. Lycurgus' brothers and his son Ancaeüs were Ar...

August 8th, 1999 • Jimmy Joe
Argolis

Argolis

Argolis was the northeast region of the Peloponnesus. This region was a rich source of myths, with several powerful kingdoms within the region. Historically, Mycenae was the most powerful kingdom during the middle and late Bronze Age, and Argos wa...

August 8th, 1999 • Jimmy Joe
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