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City of southwestern Peloponnese, west of Sparta, in the district of Messenia (area 3).
Messenia had been conquered by Sparta during the VIIIth century B. C., and most of its population had become slaves of Sparta, under the name "Helots", so that an earlier city by the name of Messene no longer existed. Some fleeing Messenian eventually ended up in Sicily, where they took over the city of Zancle and rebaptized it Messina in memory of their former city.
After Epaminondas, the Theban general, following his victory over Sparta at Leuctra (371), freed the Messenian Helots of Sparta's dominion, they rebuilt Messene at the foot of Mount Ithome.