Ancient city, southwestern Peloponnese , Greece.
It is located north of the modern city of the same name. Founded 0441; 369 BC as the site of the new capital of Messenia, Messene formed a strategic barrier against Sparta , along with Megalopolis , Mantinea , and Argos . It survived several Macedonian and Spartan sieges but fell to Philip II of Macedonia in 338 BC. Nothing is known of its history after the 2nd century BC.