Ancient Messenia in the context of "Avia, Messenia"

Oeniadae or Oiniadai (Ancient Greek: Οἰνιάδαι), or Oeneiadae or Oineiadai (Οἰνειάδαι), was a town in ancient Acarnania, situated on the west bank of the Achelous River, about 10 miles (16 km) from its mouth. It was one of the most important of the Acarnanian towns, being strongly fortified both by nature and by art, and commanding the whole of the south of Acarnania. It was surrounded by marshes, many of them of great extent and depth, which rendered it quite inaccessible in the winter to an invading force. Its territory appears to have extended on both sides of the Achelous, and to have consisted of the district called Paracheloitis, which was very fertile. It seems to have derived its name from the mythical Oeneus, the great Aetolian hero.

The town is first mentioned about 455 BCE. The Messenians, who had been settled at Naupactus by the Athenians at the end of the Third Messenian War, shortly afterwards made an expedition against Oeniadae, which they took; but after holding it for a year, they were attacked by the Acarnanians and compelled to abandon the town. Oeniadae is represented at that time as an enemy of Athens, which is said to have been one of the reasons that induced the Messenians to attack the place. Twenty-three years before the Peloponnesian War (454 BCE) Pericles laid siege to the town, but was unable to take it. In the Peloponnesian War, Oeniadae still continued opposed to the Athenians, and was the only Acarnanian town, with the exception of Astacus, which sided with the Lacedaemonians. In the third year of the war (429 BCE) Phormion made an expedition into Acarnania to secure the Athenian ascendancy; but though he took Astacus, he did not continue to march against Oeniadae, because it was the winter, at which season the marshes secured the town from all attack. In the following year (428 BCE) his son Asopius sailed up the Achelous, and ravaged the territory of Oeniadae; but it was not till 424 BCE that Demosthenes, assisted by all the other Acarnanians, compelled the town to join the Athenian alliance.

Phigalia or Phigaleia or Phigalea (Ancient Greek: Φιγαλεία or Φιγαλέα or Φιγάλεια or Φιγαλία), also known as Phialia (Φιαλία or Φιάλεια), was an ancient Greek city in the south-west corner of ancient Arcadia, in the region of ancient Parrhasia close to the frontiers of Messenia, and upon the right bank of the Neda, about halfway between the sources and the mouth of this river. It is also the present name of a nearby modern village, known up to the early 20th century as Pavlitsa (Παύλιτσα). In modern geography it is located in southeastern Elis. It is situated on an elevated rocky site, among some of the highest mountains in the Peloponnese, the most conspicuous being called Cotylium and Elaeum; the identification of the latter is uncertain.

Within the ancient territory of Phigalia stands the Temple of Apollo Epicurius at Bassae, which the Phigalians built on the mountain known as Cotylium in the late fifth century BC.

Methone (Ancient Greek: Μεθώνη, Methṓnē) or Mothone (Μοθώνη, Mothṓnē) was a town in the southwestern corner of ancient Messenia. It was an important place in ancient times on account of its excellent harbour and salubrious situation. It is situated at the extreme point of a rocky ridge, which runs into the sea, opposite the island Sapientza, one of the group called in ancient times Oenussae. Off the outer end of the town, is the little insulated rock which Pausanias calls Mothon, and which he describes as forming at once a narrow entrance and a shelter to the harbour of his time: in the 19th century, when visited by William Martin Leake, it was occupied by a tower and lantern, which is connected by a bridge with the fortification of modern Methoni. A mole branched from it, which ran parallel to the eastern wall of the town, and forms a harbour for small vessels, which to Leake seems to be exactly in the position of the ancient port, the entrance into which was probably where the bridge now stands.

According to the testimony of the ancient writers, Methone was the Homeric Pedasus, one of the seven cities which Agamemnon offered to Achilles. Homer gives to Pedasus the epithet ἀμπελόεσσα (vine-covered), and Methone seems to have been celebrated in antiquity for the cultivation of the vine. The eponymous heroine Methone, is called the daughter of Oeneus, the 'wineman'; and the same name occurs in the islands Oenussae, lying opposite the city. The name of Methone first occurs in the Messenian Wars. Methone and Pylus were the only two places which the Messenians continued to hold in the Second Messenian War, after they had retired to the mountain fortress of Ira. At the end of the Second Messenian War, the Lacedaemonians gave Methone to the inhabitants of Nauplia, who had lately been expelled from their own city by the Argives. The descendants of the Nauplians continued to inhabit Methone, and were allowed to remain there even after the restoration of the Messenian state by Epaminondas. In the first year of the Peloponnesian War, 431 BCE, the Athenians attempted to obtain possession of Methone, but were repulsed by Brasidas. Methone suffered greatly from an attack of some Illyrian privateers, who, under the pretext of purchasing wine, entered into discussions with the inhabitants and carried off a great number of them. Shortly before the Battle of Actium, Methone, which had been strongly fortified by Mark Antony, was besieged and taken by Agrippa, who found there Bogud, king of Mauretania, whom he put to death. Methone was favoured by Trajan, who made it a free city. Pausanias found at Methone a temple of Athena Anemotis, the 'storm-stiller,' and one of Artemis. He also mentions a well of bituminous water, similar both in smell and colour to the ointment of Cyzicus. It is also mentioned by Pomponius Mela, Pliny the Elder, Ptolemy, and Hierocles.

Aepeia or Aipeia (Ancient Greek: Αἴπεια) was a town of ancient Messenia. It is mentioned by Homer in the Iliad as one of the seven Messenian towns, offered by Agamemnon to Achilles. It is supposed by Strabo to be the same as Thuria, and by Pausanias the same as Corone.

Its site is dependent on which, if either, identification is accepted.