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The town was built by the combined Theban and Argive armies
and the exiled Messenians (Messenians trace themselves to the
Mycenia) who had been invited to return and found a state which
should be independent of Spartan rule. The site was chosen by
Epaminondas and lay on the western slope of the mountain which
dominates the Messenian plain and culminates in the two peaks
of Ithome and Eua. The former of these (740 m or 2,630 ft) served
as the acropolis, and was included within the same system of
fortifications as the lower city. 
But what chiefly excited his wonder was
the strength of its fortifications, which excelled all those
of the Greek world. Of the wall, some 5 miles (8 km) in extent,
considerable portions yet remain, especially on the north and
north-west, and almost the entire circuit can still be traced,
affording the finest extant example of Greek fortification.
The wall is flanked by towers about 31
ft (9 m) high set at irregular intervals: these have two stories
with loopholes in the lower and windows in the upper, and are
entered by doors on a level with the top of the wall which is
reached by flights of steps. Of the gates only two can be located,
the eastern or Laconian, situated on the eastern side of the
saddle uniting Ithome and Eua, and the northern or Arcadian
gate. 
Of the former but little remains: the latter, however, is excellently preserved and consists of a circular court about 20 yd (18 m) in diameter with inner and outer gates, the latter flanked by square towers some 11 yd (10 m) apart. The lintel of the inner gate was formed by a single stone 18 ft 8 in (5.7 m) in length, and the masonry of the circular court is of astonishing beauty and accuracy.
The Ithomi was an ancient fort in the
region of Messinia, in south-west Peloponnese. At the top of
the homonymous mountain at a height of 805 meters. The mountain
was dedicated to Zeus the Ithomata because of several lightning
bolts that fell there, and was on top of an altar.
The fortress of Ithomi played an important role in A' Messinian War in the late 7th century BC, between Messenia and Sparta.
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The fort was the last bastion of Messinia and was finally leveled after a heroic siege. In the next few years Ithomi had a symbolic role at the heart of conquered Messenia.
In 464 BC after a devastating earthquake in Laconia enslaved Messenians revolted, fleeing again to Ithomi, rebuilding fortifications and then resisting for many years before surrendering. With the support and assistance of the Athenians they settled in Nafpaktos.
After the victory of Athens over Sparta
in 426 B.C at Pilos and Sfaktiria a lot of Messenians settled
there. Perhaps that was when Nike of Paioniou was devoted to
Olympia.
The Athenian dominance in Pilos remained until 421B.C and then
the Messenians were transported by the Athenians to settle in
Kephalonia.
In 369 BC the Theban Epaminondas at the Battle of Leuktra, liberated
the area from the Spartan influence and chose Ithomi to build
a new city, Messini.
Pausanias has left us a description of the city (iv. 3 1?33), its chief temples and statues, its springs, its market-place and gymnasium, its place of sacrifice, the tomb of the hero Aristomenes and the temple of Zeus Ithomatas on the summit of the acropolis with a statue by the famous Argive sculptor Ageladas, originally made for the Messenian helots who had settled at Naupactus at the close of the third Messenian War.
The other buildings which can be identified are the theatre, the stadium, the council chamber or Bouleuterion, and the propylaeum of the market.
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