Messene’s urban design reflects an advanced understanding of city planning and includes one of the most well-preserved examples of Greek architecture, with structures like the Asklepieion (a sanctuary dedicated to the healing god Asclepius), the theater, the stadium, and impressive city walls stretching approximately 9 kilometers. The city’s archaeological remains provide invaluable insights into Hellenistic and Roman urban and cultural life, showing influences from various periods due to the city’s resilience and occupation across centuries. Modern excavations at Messene have been led largely by the Archaeological Society of Athens, shedding light on this remarkable city's social, religious, and political importance in ancient Greece.

circa 350 BCE

Temple of Messene
The architectural remains belong to the temple of Messene, the pre-Dorian queen of the land who gave her name to the city of Messene. It was a peripteral temple of Doric order which housed the cult statue of the goddess made of gold and marble. The rear wall of the cella was decorated with a painting in fresco made by Omphalion, the pupil of the famous Athenian painter Nikias (end of the fourth century BCE). It represented thirteen members of the three powerful royal families, the Apharides, the Neleides and the Leukippides who reled Messenia before the Dorian descent, as well as Kresphontes the first Dorian king of the land.

Stone stelae bearing decrees of various cities honouring Messenian judges were erected along the north side of the temple. A considerable number of inscribed bases once carrying bronze honorary statues of Roman emperors are to be seen along the south side fo the temple.

circa 300 BCE

Theatre

circa 300 BCE

Stadion
The stadium was connected to the gymnasium in a manner that the two buildings formed one architectural complex. Combined these two were one of the most imposing and large building complex in the ancient city of Messene. The north horse-shoe shaped part of the stadium complex comprises 19 kerkides with eighteen rows of stone seats each.

The three Doric order stoas around the stadium housed the gymnasium activities. The west stoa only 110 meters long is connected with the palaestra at the southern end. inscribed stone bases erected amon the columns of the west stoa supported the statues of eminent citizens and officials of the gymnasium, while stone stelae with lists of ephebes according to the tribes were standing around. A cultic room dedicated to Heracles and Hemes, protectors of the youths, was also located in the western stoa. The marble cult statue of Heracles was the work of Apollonios son of Hermodoros and his son Demetrios from Alexandria. Opposite the monumental propylon (entrance) to the west stoa of the gymnasium the statue of the Athenian hero Theseus was also uncovered. The north part of the stadium was transformed into an arena for gladiatoral and animal fights during the late Roman period.

circa 300 BCE

Asklepieion Complex
The building complex of Asklepieion was the most prominent place of the public and religious life in the city of ancient Messene. Its construction over the ruins of an earlier sanctuary must have been completed at the end of the third century BCE as part of an ambitious building project aimed at the promotion of the Messenians ethnic identity. The Doric peripteral temple of Asklepios and its altar dominated the center of the Atrium which was framed by four double stoas.

The propylon, the archive of the secretary of the Synedroi, the bouleuterion and the ekklesiasterion or the odeion are in the eastern wing. Along the western wing, a row of rooms (oikoi) contained statues of gods and heroes. The most important oikoi housed the sanctuary of Artemis Orthia Phosphoros, honoured by the Messenian women as a patroness of children (kourotrophos). In the northern wing, the monumental Sebasteion or Caesareum was dedicated to the cults of goddess Rome and emperors, during the Roman period.

The earlier sanctuaries of Demeter and Dioskouroi and of Artemis Orthia are north-west of the Asklepieion. The sacred complex was decorated with elaborate works of sculptor Damophon to whom possibly belongs the funerary heroon beside the public Hellenistic bath complex, south of the Asklepieion. Near the heroon stands a Doric solumn inscribed with the decrees passed by seven cities in honour of the Messenian sculptor Damophon.

THe Hierothysion, south of the bathhouse, which housed the statues of the twelve Olypian gods, a bronze statue of Epaminondas and tripods, probably hosted ritual banquets at least during the first century CE BCE. In the east street, outside of the Asklepieion stands out a Hellenistic burial enclosure in honour of twelve distinguished dead persons, sevenmen and five women. Further to the south-east, there is a large, two-room Late Roman period villa with floors decorated with marble and mosaic pavemenet.

circa 300 BCE

Ekklesiasterion Theater
The Ekklesiasterion or the odeion, used for cultic performances and political gatherings, has the form of a small theater with the cavea inscribed in a rectangular frame and a circular orchestra of approx. 9.70 meters. The relatively well preserved lower cavea comprises 11 rows of stone seats and is divided by staircases into 3 cunei (kerkides). A large base of bronze rider statue in honour of the "Hellas-leader" Saithidas (circa second century CE) is set in front of the eastern staircase. The facade of the stage building consisted of six Doric order half-columns, 3 doorways, and 4 openings for wooden painted panels.

circa 300 BCE

Palaestra
The palaistra functionally connected to the large gymnasium complex was used as the wrestling hall of the ephebes and the athletes. It is composed of a central courtyard surrounded by Doric stoas and auxiliary rooms. It is contemporary with the gymnasium architectural complex of the third century BCE and continued to function well in to the late Roman period. Ephebic cateloguesof the late second century CE are inscribed on two of the columns of the north stoa with numerous names of the Messenian youth.

circa 300 BCE

Base of a War Monument

circa 300 BCE

Palaestra Baths
The paved hall situated in the north-western corner of the palaestra (wrestling court) complex, dating back to the third century BCE to fourth century CE, contained twenty two water basins that were used by the Messinaians who served for three years (from 17 to 20 years old) in the gymnasium of the city and trained in letters, athletics and weaponry among other physical activities.

circa 225 BCE

Grave Monument (K3)
The grave or funerary monument designated K3, is distinguished by its original architectural design and perfect preservation. It was initially constructed in the late third century BCE for eight members of an aristocratic Messenian family and continued to be used to the first century CE. A ramp on its southern side leads through the stone entrance to the funerary chamber. The eight tombs under the chamber floor contained precious offerings despite plundering. The unusual roof of the monument is conical and ends to a Corinthian capital supporting a bronze finial. The conical roof of the tomb is strikingly similar to the first century CE burial monument in Jerusalem attributed to Absalom, the rebellious son of King David.

circa 200 BCE

Sanctuary of Isis and Serapis
The cult of Isis and Serapis was introduced in Messene from ancient Alexandria through commercial channels during the second century BCE. The sanctuary of the Egyptian deities is located close to the theatre. A vaulted underground water crypt in the form of a large U, 46.50 meters long and 35.5 meters wide, was an important element of the sacred precinct. It was a symbolic substitute of Nile connected with the cult and the rituals of initiation. A marble stature of goddess Isis nursing her child Horus was discovered, among others, in the underground crypt which was used as a disposal ground during the late antiquity.

circa 200 BCE

Rectangular Funerary Monument
The rectangular grave monument of the early second century BCE, enclosing burials of men and women fallen in the battle.It consists of a three-stepped crepis (podiums), a row of ten orthostates and a crowning on top bearing the names of the dead, six men and four women, young members of Messenian elite families: Neon, Thrasylochos, Antisthenes, Polustratos, Polyandros, Polykrates, Theba, Thelxippa, Gorgo, and Lyso. The names of the Messenians buried later inside the monument are inscribed on various parts of the crowning.

circa 150 BCE

Propylaea of the Gymnasium

circa 50 BCE

Fountain of Arsinoe
The traveller Pausanias notes that the fountain house of the Agora was named after Arsinoe, daughter of Leukippos (the mythical king of Messenia), and mother of Asklepios. Pausanias also mentions that Arsinoe fountain house received the water from the Klepsydra spring. The building of the fountain includes a cistern, some forty meters long, located at a short distance in front of the rear retaining wall. Between the cistern and a retaining wall was a colonnade of Ionic style half-columns. A semicircular base (exedra) situated at the center of the cistern supported a group of bronze statues. Two more cisterns are located at a slightly lower level and symmetrically placed on each side of a paved court. The facade of the fountain was screened by a Doric order colonnade removed during the monument's second construction phase in the first century CE. The third and final phase of restoration and reconstruction activities including the addition of two identical podiums on both edges at the front side, is dated to the years of Diocletian (circa 284-305 CE).

The eastern section of Arsinoe's fountain house remained standing and was used during the early Christian period, as suggested by additional constructions on the upper cistern and a building, possibly a water-mill, added in the first half of the sixth century CE.

circa 100-300 CE

Heroon of the Saithidae Family
The Doric temple-like building with four columns on the front (7.44 meters x 11.60 meters) supported by a high podium functioned as the mausoleum for burials of the elite Saithidae family from the first to the third century CE. Eminent members of this family held important offices as High priests, and Helladarchs (governors) of the province of Achaia under the Roman rule.

circa 100-300 CE

Late Roman Period Stoa
The Doric order portico (stoa), dating back to the later Roman period, was built on a higher level along the northern side fo the Sebasteion complex. The columns were taken from an earlier building of the market place, while five of them on the west end bear inscriptions related to market officials (agoranomoi). Stone bases for brnze statues of the Hellenistic age have been used in the stylobate of the stoa, some of them inscribed, as well as slabs from the paving of the northern entrance (propylon) to the Asklepieion sanctuary.

circa 100-300 CE

Sebasteion or Caesareum

circa 100-300 CE

Urban Villa of the Dionysus and Ariadne Mosaic
The luxury urban villa, dating back to the Roman period, was located in a prominent section of the city. The block was surrounded by roads. The house was built on remains of earlier Hellenistic period residential structures. Through the northern main entrance one is led to the working area of a courtyard and to a small peristyle (impluvium) and thence to the official rooms: the andron and the large dining room (triclinium) with two bedrooms (cubicula) to its west. The central panel of the mosaic floor of the andron carries a representation of Dionysus with Ariadne and a male figure of small size who kisses the extended hand of the god Dionysos.

circa 300-400 CE

Theatre Quarters

circa 200 BCE

Entablature of the Doric Style
The frieze (triglyphs-metopes) and the architraves, which were supported by the capitals of the nearby Doric stoa, are made of the same piece of local limestone. The stone geisa crowning the Doric frieze carry horizontal simas decorated with acanthus spirals in relief. Waterspouts in the form o flion heads are projecting between the acanthus spirals.