The Peloponnese Messinia Prefecture: Methoni Village

Methoni is a fortress-port occupying a spit of land surrounded by the sea on 3 sides.

The ancients knew it as Pedasos and Agamemnon promised it and 6 other cities to Achillies for his aid during the Trojan war and to appease his anger over the captive woman Briseis of whom he was enamored.

Mark Antony's supplies from Egypt were cut off here by Marcus Agrippa. The Roman emperor Trajan granted the city its independence. By 1125 it had become a pirate port and was razed by the Venetians. Today its a quiet little place and quite pleasant.

Earlier legends attribute the area being bequeathed by the Spartans to settlers from Naufplion early in their dominance. Athens attacked it unsuccessfully several times in 431 BC.

Methoni flourished during the middle ages and because of its deep and protected natural harbor became an important clearing house for the trade routes between Asia minor and Europe.

The Byzantines held it for centuries and in 1209, by the treaty of Sapienza it came int possesion of the Venetians for nearly 3 centuries. The Venetians built a castle on the site of the ancient acropolis.

The Knights of Malta held Methoni for a period during the 16th century. Later the Turks controlled it until 1825 when it was returned to the Greeks.

The castle is one of the best preserved medieval buildings in Europe and in a remarkable state of completeness. It also has a fine clean beach near by.