The Ancient Messenians: Constructions of Ethnicity and Memory

by Nino Luraghi

• ISBN13: 9780521855877
• ISBN10: 052185587X
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-06-02
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Summary

Early in the archaic period of Greek history, Messenia was annexed and partially settled by its powerful neighbour, Sparta. Achieving independence in the fourth century BC, the inhabitants of Messenia set about trying to forge an identity for themselves separate from their previous identity as Spartan subjects, refunctionalising or simply erasing their Spartan heritage. Professor Luraghi provides a thorough examination of the history of Messenian identity and consequently addresses a range of questions and issues whose interest and importance have only been widely recognised by ancient historians during the last decade. By a detailed scrutiny of the ancient written sources and the archaeological evidence, the book reconstructs how the Messenians perceived and constructed their own ethnicity at different points in time, by applying to Messenian ethnicity insights developed by anthropologists and early medieval historians.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Delimiting the Messenians

The return of the Heraclids and the mythical birth of Messenia

The conquest of Messenia through the ages

Messenia from the Dark Ages to the Peloponnesian War

The Western Messenians

The earthquake and the revolt: from Ithome to Naupactus

The liberation of Messenia

Being Messenian from Philip to Augustus

Messenians in the Empire

Conclusion

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