In December 1828, Dubois was charged by the Institut de France to head the section of Archaeology of the scientific expedition of Morea, which was sent to Greece at the end of the Greek War of Independence. Dubois and his colleague Abel Blouet (from the section of Architecture and Sculpture) arrived in Peloponnese in March 1829 and both led the first archaeological excavations ever carried out in the ancient city of Messene founded in 369 BC by Epaminondas. Dubois spent a full month in the ancient city, starting on April 10.