MAINA

also spelled Mani, peninsula of the southern Peloponnese (Pelopnnisos), in the noms (department) of Laconia, Greece. The area has been set aside as a historical district by the government. The rugged, rather isolated peninsula, 28 miles (45 km) long, is an extension of the Taygetus (Tayetos) range. It is the home of the Maniotes, an ancient people who are believed to be descended from Laconian refugees of the early Roman period. Formerly the area was known as Maina Polypyrgos (Many-Towered Maina), from the defensive structures built by its fierce inhabitants, who lived by raiding coastal shipping. Ruins in the district include the remains of the temple and sanctuary of Poseidon, situated at the tip of Cape Tanaron (Cape Matapan), as well as the Frankish castle (Grand Maigne), built in 124850 by William II de Villehardouin to pacify the region. In 1821 an uprising in the region helped trigger the War of Greek Independence. A paved road runs from Ythion to Arcopolis and Diros, where two magnificent caves were opened to the public in 1963. However, the peninsula maintains its unspoiled medieval character with many 11th- and 12th-century Byzantine churches.