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At their current location, Vresthena were probably built in the 15th Century. Northeast of the modern-day village, at a location called Kardamitsia, lie the ruins of a settlement named Kardamas, that was destroyed when the Peloponnese fell to the Turks (or, possibly, earlier, during the period of the Crusades). It is believed that the inhabitants of Kardamas, which was burnt to the ground, built the surviving villages of Vresthena and neighbouring Megali Vrysi.

However, the history of the area has deeper roots. Vresthena were known in antiquity by the name Eurysthena (of which the modern name is a corruption). According to some sources, king Eurysthenes (1104-1062 BC) of Sparta, had selected Vresthena as his summer residence, giving his name to the location. The ancient Spartans quarried their marble from a pit in the vicinity of the modern village. Marble from this ancient quarry of the Spartans was also used to build the parish church of the Birth of the Virgin Mary at Vresthena. The temple was built in the early years of the 20th century on top of the ruins of an earlier, Byzantine church of the same name.

Findings from ancient Sellasia have been unearthed at various locations around Vresthena. The precise position of ancient Sellasia has not been determined satisfactorily, but ancient Selassia should not be confused with the modern village of the same name, that is located west of the Tripolis-Sparta National Road. Due to its strategic location, ancient Sellasia was looted and set on fire by the Thebans of Epameinondas in 270 BC. It was liberated by the Spartans (aided by the Syracusans) in 365 BC, but was permanently destroyed following the defeat of king Cleomenes III of Sparta in 222 BC, its citizens all reduced to slavery.

Pausanias gives the following description for ancient Sellasia:

The third branch from the straight road is on the right, and leads to Caryae and to the sanctuary of Artemis. For Caryae is a region sacred to Artemis and the nymphs, and here stands in the open an image of Artemis Caryatis. Here every year the Lacedaemonian maidens hold chorus-dances, and they have a traditional native dance. On returning, as you go along the highway, you come to the ruins of Sellasia. The people of this city, as I have stated already, were sold into slavery by the Achaeans afterthey had conquered in battle the Lacedaemonians under their king Cleomenes, the son of Leonidas.

The official archives of Vresthena were destroyed during the period of Turkish rule. As a result, little is known of the history of the village during Byzantine times and during the Turkish occupation. Nonetheless, the village is believed to have floursihed in those times, as can be determined by various findings. The Bishopric of Vresthena, which fell under the Archdiocese of Lacedaemon, was founded after the fall of Constantinople (1453). Originally, the Bishop of Vresthena resided in the village. Following the 1821 War of Independence, the Bishopric of Vresthena was merged with that of Elos, to form the Bishopric of Sellasia. The last Bishop of Vresthena was Theodoretos (see box), who went down in history as the better-known of all.

Evolution of the population of Vresthena
1834	644
1861	1.046
1907	1.101
1928	1.352
1951	1.036
1961	734
1971	482
1981	486
1991	420
2001	418

Vresthena suffered the brutality of the conquerors during the period of Turkish occupation, when they were razed as reprisal for the activities of the famous klepht Zacharias (1759-1805). Vresthena have played a role in the preparations for the War of Independence, as well as in the uprising itself. Vrestheniot Nikolaos Pilalas (see box), a benefactor of the village, was a member of the Filiki Hetaireia (Friendly Society). On 12 May 1826, Vresthena (and the neighbouring villages of Arachova, Varvitsa and others) were destroyed by the army of Ibrahim pasha.

Following liberation, Vresthena village was named the seat of the Deme of Vresthena and in August 1863 the local school, founded on the bequest of Nikolaos Pilalas (who had passed away just a few months earlier), began operating in Vresthena.

By Royal Decree on 27 November 1840, the Deme of Oenous was formed, incorporating Vresthena (as the seat), Aghioi Anargyroi, Arachova (Caryae), Vamvakou, Varvitsa, Vassaras, Verroia and Megali Vrysi. At the dawn of the 20th century Vresthena was a large, lively market town, seat of a country court, with a population of over a thousand. As of 1912, Vresthena became a separate community, which included Megali Vrysi and Verroia. In 1915 Megali Vrysi was detached from Vresthena and attached to Vamvakou and Verroia was detached from Vresthena and attached to Vassaras.

But already since the ened of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th Centuries, Vresthena had been suffering a steady loss of population due to a mass migration to the United States of America that affected all of Greece. Even overseas, however, Vrestheniots proved especially successful in supporting their home village, through two very active local communities in Boston, Mass. (founded as early as 1903) and Chicago, Ill. (founded in 1925). An association of Vrestheniots in Piraeus had been founded in 1893. The Vrestheniots of the Diaspora (whether overseas or in Greece) played a major role in financially supporting the construction of public works in the home village.

During World War II, Vresthena suffered this time under the Germans --especially in the last year of the occupation. On 26 November 1943 Vresthena were attacked with artillery fire and shelled with mortar. A little earlier, on 13 and 14 March 1943, a German attack on the village incurred no casualties, but 60 houses were put to the torch. A further ordeal, involving several deaths and widespread destruction took place during the extended Operation of Parnon (23 June to 8 July 1944).

Despite the ordeal of the occupation, the population of Vresthena remained steadily above one thousand, even after the War. During the 50s, however, Vresthena followed tha fate of most villages of the Peloponnese, as a second wave of massive migration began, with villagers fleeing poverty and moving to Athens, the United States, Canada, Australia and elswhere.

With the implementation of the so-called "Kapodistrias" programme for the re-structuring of municipalities and communities throughout Greece, in 1998, the community of Vresthena was merged with its neighbouring ones (of Vamvakou, Varvitsa, Vassaras, Voutianoi, Theologos, Koniditsa and Sellasia) to form the new Municipality of Oenous (of which Sellasia is the seat). The total population of the new Municipality of Oenous according to the 2001 census is 2,653 (compared to 2,649 of the 1991 census). According to the 2001 census, of the villages that form Oenous, Vresthena was the second largest with 418 inhabitants, trailing only Sellasia which had 524.

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