Ancient Greek city states

Arcadia

Arcadia is a mountainous region in the middle of the Peloponnesian peninsula that was never conquered even by Sparta. According to mythology, the god Pan resided here.

Today it is the largest regional unit in the Peloponnese, consisting of the four provinces of Gortynia, Kynouria, Mantineia and Megalopoli. Arcadia takes its name from the son of the supreme god Zeus named Arkas.

In the period of Ancient Greece, the so-called Arcadian Association was based here, which was involved in the Battle of Mantinea between Thebes and Sparta. Members of the Arcadian Guild fought alongside the Thebans and the Boeotians. Athens, the Elids and the Mantineans were on the side of Sparta. However, the war went badly for both sides, opening the way for the rise of King Philip II of Macedon.