The semi-mountainous, picturesque village of Desyllas is located near Diavolitsi, while it is 7 km away from Meligalas. It is built at an altitude of 180 meters, at the foothills of the mountain, with panoramic views of the Messinian plain. The village has about 200 permanent residents. Before the Revolution of 1821, the village was at a higher level, where today, the chapel of Agios Theodoros is located.
There are three different versions of the name of the village. According to the first version, it comes from a shepherd who had a herd in the area named Sulla. According to the second version, it comes from the name of a Roman general, De Silla, and according to the third version, it comes from a chief named Desillas. Until 1940, we can find reports of the village under the name Dousila.
The visitor can see the well-preserved, old stone watermill on the Haradros river in the village. Also, at a distance of 1.5 km from the village (between the villages of Desyllas and Filia), is the location Tryfa. An excavation in June 1900 uncovered two mosaic floors belonging to a Roman-era mansion. Today, the two mosaics are displayed at the Archaeological Museum of Messinia in Kalamata. Finally, the ceramic findings that from time to time are also found in the area indicate the remarkable habitation, but also fortification of the spot in earlier periods.
