Messene 1997 Overview

The primary material that will be the object of my study comes from the excavation of the Ancient city of Messene at the foot of Mount Ithomi of Messenia in SW Peloponnese (Greece). Excavations by the Archaeological Society at the site of Ancient Messene were first conducted by Th. Sophoulis in 1895, G. Oikonomos in 1909 and 1925 and more systematically by A. Orlandos from 1957 to 1975 and uncovered most of the architectural complex of the Asclepieion. During the new period of excavations by the Archaeological Society which started in 1987 and are still in progress under the direction of Prof. P. G. Themelis, the whole central area of the city from the Agora to the Stadium has been investigated. Archaeological reports of the excavations can be found in the Praktika of the Archaeological Society of the respective years.

So far, the excavations at Messene concentrate mainly in the central low area of the ancient city and on the south slopes of Mount Ithome and have brought to light public buildings of religious and political character, not private residences. These buildings are 1) a small temple of an unknown god or hero on the south slope of Ithome below the sanctuary of Zeus Ithomatas, 2) the sanctuary of Artemis Limnatis, 3) part of the large Theatre of the city, 4) part of the North Stoa of the Agora and a Fountain House nearby, 5) the sanctuary of Demeter and the Dioskouroi, 6) the architectural complex of the Asklepieion, 7) the Temple of Artemis Ortheia, 8) the baths and latrines south of the Asklepieion and 9) the Stadium with its Stoas and Gymnasium and the Heroon at the southern end of the city which is limited by the fortification walls.

The primary material that I propose to study comes from the area of the Stadium and Gymnasium of Ancient Messene.

The purpose of my project is the publication of the inscriptions that were found in the area of the Stadium and Gymnasium of Ancient Messene. The excavations conducted at the site under the direction of Prof. Themelis have revealed the majority of a number of inscriptions (approximately 70) dating from the early Hellenistic to the Late Roman times. Two thirds of those inscriptions were found in situ or near their original place and thus constitute important evidence on the life of the Stadium and the Gymnasium of the ancient city of Messene and the multiple activities that were taking place there. The rest (mainly funerary inscriptions) seem to have been transported there at later times for secondary use or by accident and will not be included in the present project.

All inscriptions that were discovered in the course of the excavations or handed in by private individuals are kept in the local Museum which is situated near the archaeological site at the entrance to the modern village Mavromati Ithomis in Messenia.