Messenia
/mɛˈsiːniə/noun
A region in southwestern Peloponnese, Greece.
Did you know?Messenia is an ancient regional name from Greece, and while its exact origin is uncertain, its long survival in historical texts made it a marker of identity through centuries of Spartan domination.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
Μεσσηνία (Messēnía)
“The region of Messenia in the Peloponnese”
Classical Antiquity
Greek
Μεσσήνη (Messḗnē)
“The chief city and eponymous name associated with the region”
Late Antiquity
Latin
Messēnia
“Latinized geographic name for the Greek region”
Modern English
English
Messenia
“The historical and modern regional name in Greece”