Messene (mythology)

Messene ( Greek Μεσσήνη ) is a figure in Greek mythology .

She is the daughter of King Triopas of Argos . She marries Polykaon , the younger son of King Lelex of Sparta .

Since Polykaon has no claim to the Spartan throne, Messene encourages him to look for his own kingdom. They gather a following in Argos and Sparta and move to Messenia , which is named after them. There they founded several cities, including Andania , which they made their residential city. Messene is said to have introduced the Eleusinian mysteries there. With Polykaon she is also said to have brought the cult of Zeus into being on the Ithome .

Messene was revered as the founder in Messenia after Glaukos had founded her hero cult . She was depicted on coins from the city of Messene . In this city a temple was built for her, in which stood her cult image made of gold and Parian marble.

swell

Pausanias : Description of Greece 4, 1, 1–2. 5; 4, 3, 9.

literature

Heinrich Wilhelm Stoll : Messene . In: Wilhelm Heinrich Roscher (Hrsg.): Detailed lexicon of Greek and Roman mythology . Volume 2.2, Leipzig 1897, column 2844 ( digitized version ).
Hans von Geisau : Messene 1. In: The Little Pauly (KlP). Volume 3, Stuttgart 1969, column 1250.

Web links

Messene in the Greek Myth Index

Remarks

↑ Pausanias: Description of Greece 4, 31, 11.

[1] Pausanias: Description of Greece 4, 31, 11.