ARCADIA, in Greece, the central district of Peloponnesus. Shut off from the coast on all sides by mountain barriers (in the north Erymanthus [mod. Olonos] rises to 7,400ft., and Cyllene [Ziria] to 7,9oof t. ; in the south Parthenium and Lycaeum exceed 5,000ft.) this inland plateau is again divided by numerous sub sidiary ranges. In east Arcadia these enclose a series of plains drained only by underground channels or zerethra. The west coun try is more open, with isolated mountain-groups and the winding valleys of the Alpheus (q.v.) and its tributaries the Ladon and Erymanthus. The ancient inhabitants were shepherds and hunters, worshipping Pan, Hermes and Artemis, primitive nature-deities. The difficulties of communication and especially the lack of a sea board seriously hindered intercourse with the rest of Greece. Con sequently the same population held the land throughout historic times, without admixture of Dorian immigrants , the dialect main taining a peculiar resemblance to that of Cyprus. Arcadia was weak owing to chronic feuds between the towns. Its fortunes in Greek history turned on its position between Sparta and the Isthmus. Unable to force their way through Argolis, the Spartans early set themselves to secure the passage through the central plateau. The resistance of single cities, and the temporary union of the Arcadians during the second Messenian war, did not defer complete subjugation past the 6th century. In 469 and again in 420 disaffected cities, backed by Argos, came near to estab lishing their independence. In 371, after the battle of Leuctra, a political league grew out of an old religious synod, and a federal capital was founded in a commanding strategic position at Megal opolis (q.v.). But a severe defeat by Sparta in 368 (the "tearless battle") and internal discord paralysed this movement. Megalop olis accentuated mutual jealousy. During the Hellenistic age Megalopolis stood staunchly by Macedonia; the rest of Arcadia rebelled against Antipater (33o, 323) and Antigonus Gonatas (266). Similarly the cities divided their allegiance between the Achaean and the Aetolian Leagues, and fell a prey to Sparta and Macedonia. In Roman times Arcadia had fallen into decay. An influx of Slavonic settlers in the 8th century A.D. checked depopu lation, but Arcadia suffered severely from the constant quarrels of its Frankish barons (1205-146o). Turkish rule, combined with Albanian immigration, raised the prosperity of the land, but in the Wars of Independence the strategic importance of Arcadia once more made it a centre of conflict. The population remains sparse, and pending complete restoration of the water conduits the soil is unproductive. The modern department of Arcadia ex tends to the Gulf of Nauplia, with a sea-coast of about 4o miles.