Arcadian - Definition and Overview

This article discusses Arcadia, a region of Greece. For other meanings, see: Arcadia (disambiguation)

Statistics
Capital:	Tripoli
Area:	4,419km²
Inhabitants:	102,035 (2001)</small>
Pop. density:	23.09/km² 2001
ISO 3166-2:	GR-12
Car designation:	TP (Tripoli)
Number of provinces	4
Number of municipalities	22
Number of independent communes:	1
Code for the municipalities	05xx
Area codes in Greece:	11+30-2710 (Tripoli) -279x0 (west) 275x0 (east)
Name of inhabitants	Arcadian
Postal code:	22x xx
Website:	Homepage of Arcadia (http://www.hellas.teipir.gr/prefectures/english/Arkadias/Arkadias.htm)
Map

Arcadia or Arkadía (Greek Αρκαδία) is a region of Greece in the Peloponnesus. It takes its name from the mythological character Arcas.

Modern Arcadia

Arcadia's has its present-day capital at Tripoli. It forms the largest prefecture on the Peloponnesian peninsula. It currently covers about 18% of the entire peninsula, although it once extended to about 20 to 25% of the peninsula.

The prefecture has a skiing resort on Mount Maenalus, the Mainalon, located about 20 km NW of Tripoli. The other mountains include the Parnon in the southeast, the Saita, the Skiathio, the Lykaia and Tsiberou.

The GR-7, E65 freeway, which was extended after 1997 and in 2003, runs through Arcadia on a north-west to south-east axis and nearly forms in the southwest the end of the freeway. A nuclear and coal power station which produces electricity for most of southern Greece, operates to the south of Megalopolis, along with a coal mine.

Arcadia has two tunnels. The Artemisio Tunnel opened first, followed by the tunnel east of Megalopolis; both serve traffic flowing between Messenia and Athens.

The chief cities and communities in the prefecture include Tripoli, Astros, Vytina, Dimitsaina, Langadi, Leonidi, Leontari, Levidi, Megalopolis and Stremnitsa.

In agriculture, potato farms, mixed farming, olive groves, and pasture dominate the plains of Arcadia, especially in the area around Megalopolis and between Tripoli and Levidi.

Theodoros Kolokotronis (1770 - 1843), a general in the Greek War of Independence (1821 - 1832), lived in Arcadia.

Climate

Its climate has hot summers and mild winters in the eastern part, the southern part, the low lying areas and the central part ald area lower than 1,000 m. The area mainly receives rain during summer and winter months for most of the time in the rest of Arcadia. Winter [snow?] occurs commonly in the mountainous areas for much of the west and the northern part, the Taygetus area, the Mainalon.

History

In the 20th century, Arcadia experienced extensive population loss through emigration, mostly to the Americas. Many Arcadian villages lost almost half their inhabitants, and fears arose that they would turn into ghost towns. Arcadia now has a smaller population than Corinthia. Demographers expected that its population would halve between 1951 and the early 21st century.

In the mid to late 20th century a power plant began operating.

Population

• 1951: 154,361 (density: 34.93/km&sup2)
• 1961: 134,950
• 1971: 111,263 (density: 23.5/km²)
• 1991: 103,840
• 2001: 102,025

Transportation

• E65
• Greece Interstate 7
• Greece Interstate 33, N
• Greece Interstate 37, Cen, S
• Greece Interstate 74, NW, N
• Greece Interstate 76, W, SW

Communications

Television

• Arkadiki Radiophonio Teleorassi - ART

Provinces

Arcadia has 4 provinces:

• Province of Gortynia - Dimitsana
• Province of Kynouria - Leonidi
• Province of Mantineia - Tripoli
• Province of Megalopoli - Megalopoli

Municipalities

This exludes the independent commune of Kosmas (municipal code: 0511, postal code: 230 58) where the seat is Geraki.

Communities

For more communities, see Communities of Arcadia

Persons

• Ancient Olympic victors:
  • Androsthenes of Maenalus, won gold in 420 and 416 BC
  • Euthymenes of Maenalus, won gold in 400 and 392 BC

Arcadia in mythology and the arts

According to Greek mythology, Pan the shepherd goat lived in Arcadia. Greek mythology inspired the Roman poet Virgil to write his Eclogues, a series of poems set in Arcadia. As a result of the influence of Virgil in medieval European literature (see, for example, The Divine Comedy), Arcadia became a symbol of pastoral simplicity. European Renaissance writers (for instance, the Spanish poet Garcilaso de la Vega) often revisited the theme, and the name came to apply to any idyllic location or paradise. Unlike the word "utopia" (named for Thomas More's book, Utopia), "Arcadia" does not carry the connotation of a human-designed civilization.

In 1993, Tom Stoppard wrote an acclaimed play with this title, referring to the sense of classical beauty and order associated with Arcadia.

Arcadia was also the title of an influential heroic romance by the 16th-century poet Sir Philip Sidney.

See also

Golden Age, millennialism, and the painting Et in Arcadia ego.

External links

• http://www.arcadianet.gr
• http://www.tripolis.gr
• Arcadia, Greece (http://www.cs.bham.ac.uk/~gkt/www/arcadia.html)
• http://www.inarcadia.gr
• University of Patras on Arcadia (http://arcadia.ceid.upatras.gr/arkadia/)
• http://www.aroundgreece.com/arcadia-peloponnese-greece.html
• Unknown Arcadia (http://www.oreivatein.com/page/sites/arkadia/e_arkadia.htm)
• http://flyingbrick.freeyellow.com/arcadia.htm
• Tripoli - Karytaina - Andritsaina (http://arcadia.ceid.upatras.gr/arkadia/navig/diadromes/d5.htm)