Messene (Greek: Μεσσήνη "Messini"), officially Ancient Messene, is a local community ("topiki koinotita") of the municipal unit ("dimotiki enotita") Ithomi, of the municipality ("dimos") of Messini within the regional unit ("perifereiaki enotita") of Messenia in the region ("perifereia") of Peloponnese, one of 13 regions into which Greece has been divided. Before 2011 it held the same position in the administrative hierarchy, according to Law 2539 of 1997, the Kapodistrias Plan, except that Ithomi was an independent municipality and Ancient Messene was a local division ("topiko diamerisma") within it.