Colonades surrounding the stadium at ancient Messene, in the Peloponnese which was constructed over the ruins of Ithome, an ancient city originally of the Achaean Greeks, destroyed previously by the Spartans and abandoned for some time.The stadium was used from the 3rd century B.C up until to the 4th century A.D, when it was mostly being dismantled for building materials. During the Roman period the stadium was used as an arena hosting matches between gladiators, and wild animals.