in Ancient Geography, the first town of Sicily on crossing over from Italy, situated on the strait now called the Faro, (Italicus). Anciently called Zancle, according to Diodorus Siculo, from King Zanclus; or, according to others, from the Sicilian term Zanclon, denoting a fickle, alluding to the curvity of the coast; a name appropriated by the poets; and hence Zanclon, the people, (Herodotus, Paulianas). The other name Messenia is from the Messenii of Peloponnesus, (Strabo.) Thucydides ascribes its origin to Anaxilas the Messenian, tyrant of Régium, who received all comers, calling the town after the name of his country. The Greeks always call it Messene; the Romans Messene constantly, to distinguish it from Messene of Peloponnesus. Now Messina, lately ruined by earthquakes.

Messenia, or Messene, an inland town, and the capital of Messenia, a country of Peloponnesus; erroneously replaced by Ptolemy on the coast. It was built by Epaminondas, who called all the Messenian exiles, and gave the town the name of Messene. A place vying in point of strength and situation with Corinth, according to Strabo; and therefore Demetrius Phalereus advised Philip, father of Perseus, that if he wanted to have Peloponnesus in his power, he should make himself master of these two towns, as thus he would have the ox by both horns.