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The Second Messenian War was a war which
occurred ca. 660–650 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. Other scholars, however, assign earlier
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.
Opponents:
Messenia - Arcadia - Sicyon - Elis - Argos
Sparta - Corinth - Lepreum - Cretan mercenaries
Commanders and leaders:
Messenia - Aristomenes Androcles Fidas Aristocrates II
Sparta - Anaxander Anaxidamus Tyrtaeus Emperamus
Prelude:
The First Messenian War lasted from 743 to 724. 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.
War:
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.
However, it was Sparta who had the upper hand when they bribed the Messenian
allies into retreating through the Messenian lines when the Spartans advanced
into battle. Again, this loss forced the Messenians into a fortified city at
Mt. Eira (Ira).
It was, while fortified here, that the Messenians started to use the land as
enemy territory and several raids were made of the surrounding towns, some even
led by Aristomenes himself. During this time Aristomenes was captured. Before
he could be executed he escaped his holding and made it back to Eira. The
Messenians held Eira for over ten years before the Spartans made their last
attack. Before Eira fell, however, the Spartans allowed the women and children
to be released along with Aristomenes. The ones who did not escape Eira were
again turned into helots and most of the ones who escaped fled to Italy.
Aristomenes himself left for Rhodes where he died and was honored as a
hero.Furthermore, the Spartans were able to quell the revolts following the
death of the Argive commander. With the aid and support of the Athenian
schoolmaster and poet Tyrtaeus, the Spartan Army was able to crush the
Messenians and re-establish their helot status. As a result of this war,
Spartan society became a strong militaristic power in the Mediterranean in
order to control the masses along the Peloponnese and to prevent further
rebellions brought on by the helots who later did manage to break away from
Spartan rule around 350.
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