Pharae

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Pharae (Ancient Greek: Φαραί, Strab., Paus.; Φηρή, Hom. Il. 5.543; Φηραί, Il.

9.151; Φεραί, Xen. Hell. 4.8.7) was an ancient town of Messenia, situated upon a hill rising from the left bank of the river Nedon, and at a distance of a mile (1.5 km) from the Messenian Gulf.

Strabo describes it as situated 5 stadia from the sea, and Pausanias 6. William Smith states that it is probable that the earth deposited at the mouth of the river Nedon has, in the course of centuries, encroached upon the sea. Pausanias distinguishes this city from the Achaean city of Pharae (Φαραὶ), 150 stadia from Patrae and 70 stadia from the coast.

Pherae occupied the site of Kalamata, the modern capital of Messenia; and in antiquity also it seems to have been the chief town in the southern Messenian plain. It was said to have been founded by Pharis, the son of Hermes and the Danaid Phylodameia. In Homer, Pherae was the home of Diocles, whose sons Crethon and Orsilochus were killed by Aeneas.

As part of his entreaty to Achilles Agamemnon promised to include "holy Pherae" as one of seven "strongholds" in the dowry of the daughter Achilles chooses to marry if he returned to the fight on behalf of the Achaeans. Strabo...