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Second Messenian War

Second Messenian War
Date 685 BC-668 BC
Location Peloponnese
Result Spartan victory
Territorial
changes
Messenia remains under Spartan control
Belligerents
Messenia
Arcadia
Sicyon
Elis
Argos
Sparta
Corinth
Lepreum
Cretan mercenaries
Commanders and leaders
Aristomenes
Androcles
Fidas
Aristocrates II
Anaxander
Anaxidamus
Tyrtaeus
Emperamus

The Second Messenian War was a war between the Ancient Greek states of Messenia and Sparta. It started around 40 years after the end of the First Messenian War with the uprising of a slave rebellion. This war lasted from 685 to 668 BC. Other scholars, however, assign later dates, claiming, for example, that 668 is the date of the war's start, pointing at Sparta's defeat at the First Battle of Hysiae as a possible catalyst for the uprising.

The First Messenian War lasted from 743 BC to 724 BC. During the period prior to conquest, Sparta dealt with overpopulation in the Laconia region by assimilating other Laconians as perioeci ('those who live around us'). In an effort to further expand their territory in the Peloponnese, the Spartan Army went to war with the Messenians. As a result of two decades' struggle, the Messenian people became enslaved as helots and made serfs of the state, following Spartan victory in the southwestern region of the Peloponnese Furthermore, it was said that the first battle was initiated because some Messenian men carried off some Spartan women praying at a temple. When the Messenians refused to return them, the Spartans invaded Messenia

The Second Messenian War was the result of revolt by the helot population of Messenia, supported with the aid of the Argives. In an attempt to regain freedom, the Messenians invaded Laconia. The first battle, the Battle of Deres, happened before the allies arrived. Aristomenes fought so well that he was made the new king of Messenia by his people. He followed this up by crossing into Sparta and placed a shield in the temple of Athena in order to scare the Spartans. This forced the Spartans to send to Delphi where they were told to gain a leader from Athens. Upon doing so the Spartans marched on the Messenians at Boar's Grave where they met Aristomenes and his troops, who defeated them.


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