ANDA´NIA
ANDA´NIA (
Ἀνδανία: Eth.
Ἀνδανιεύς, Eth.
Ἀνδάνιος), an ancient town of Messenia, and the capital of the kings of the race of the Leleges.
It was celebrated as the birthplace of Aristomenes, but towards the end of the second Messenian war it was deserted by its inhabitants, who took refuge in the strong fortress of Ira. From this time it was only a village. Livy (
36.31) describes it as a
parvum oppidum, and Pausanias (
4.33.6) saw only its ruins.
It was situated on the road leading from Messene to Megalopolis. Its ruins, according to Leake, are now called
Ellinikókastro, and are situated upon a height near the village of
Fyla or
Fília. The Homeric Oechalia is identified by Strabo with Andania, but by Pausanias with Carnasium, which was only 8 stadia from Andania. (
Paus. 4.1.2,
4.3.7,
4.14.7,
26.6,
33.6; Strab. pp. 339, 350;
Steph. B. sub voce Leake,
Morea, vol. i. p. 388.)
