Methone (Ancient Greek:Μεθώνη,Methṓnē) orMothone (Μοθώνη,Mothṓnē)[1] was a town in the southwestern corner ofancient 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 islandSapientza, one of the group called in ancient timesOenussae. Off the outer end of the town, is the little insulated rock whichPausanias calls Mothon, and which he describes as forming at once a narrow entrance and a shelter to the harbour of his time:[2] in the 19th century, when visited byWilliam Martin Leake, it was occupied by a tower and lantern, which is connected by a bridge with the fortification ofmodern 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.[3]
According to the testimony of the ancient writers,[4][2] Methone was theHomericPedasus, one of the seven cities whichAgamemnon offered toAchilles.[5] 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 heroineMethone, is called the daughter ofOeneus, the 'wineman';[2] and the same name occurs in the islands Oenussae, lying opposite the city. The name of Methone first occurs in theMessenian Wars. Methone andPylus were the only two places which the Messenians continued to hold in theSecond Messenian War, after they had retired to the mountain fortress ofIra.[6] At the end of the Second Messenian War, theLacedaemonians gave Methone to the inhabitants ofNauplia, who had lately been expelled from their own city by theArgives.[7] The descendants of the Nauplians continued to inhabit Methone, and were allowed to remain there even after the restoration of the Messenian state byEpaminondas.[8] In the first year of thePeloponnesian War, 431 BCE, theAthenians attempted to obtain possession of Methone, but were repulsed byBrasidas.[9] Methone suffered greatly from an attack of someIllyrian privateers, who, under the pretext of purchasing wine, entered into discussions with the inhabitants and carried off a great number of them.[10] Shortly before theBattle of Actium, Methone, which had been strongly fortified byMark Antony, was besieged and taken byAgrippa, who found thereBogud, king ofMauretania, whom he put to death.[11] Methone was favoured byTrajan, who made it a free city.[12] Pausanias found at Methone a temple ofAthena Anemotis, the 'storm-stiller,' and one ofArtemis. He also mentions a well of bituminous water, similar both in smell and colour to the ointment ofCyzicus. It is also mentioned byPomponius Mela,[13]Pliny the Elder,[14]Ptolemy,[15] andHierocles.[16]
Its site is located near the modernMethoni.[17][18] The ancient city lies mostly underwater, and has been excavated by the GreekEphorate of Underwater Antiquities.[19]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Smith, William, ed. (1854–1857). "Methone".Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography. London: John Murray.