In 369 BC, General Epaminondas ordered the founding of Ithomi in order to put a stop to the expansionism of Sparta. The capital of the liberated Messenia, it lasted after the invasion of the Visigoths (4C), until around the 10C. The archaeological site is one of the finest but also one of the least well known in Greece. Nicely showcased, the remains lie in a huge, sloping field dotted with olive and fruit trees. The nearby Archaeological Museum displays objects excavated on the site.