The inhabitants also knew about the myths that gave their land a vital role in Greek culture. The image people later had, and still have, of Arcadia, is not entirely wrong. Laying in the heart of the Peloponnesos Arcadia was at the center of Greek affairs from the start on. Nicolas Poussin, the shepherds of Arcadia, 1630īut now let's turn to the real Arcadia. Imagined as a land of pristine nature and harmony between animals, plants and humans, Arcadia was a popular background for all sorts of artistic dreams (Et in Arcadia ego ''And in Arcadia I am''). This legendary atmosphere Arcadia already possessed in ancient times made it an ideal motif for arts since the Renaissance. This wonderful landscape is known for being home of a number of the Greek myths and of the god of nature, Pan, himself. Situated on the center of the Peloponnese in the mythical landscape of Αρκαδία they became fierce rivals from their earlierst times on.įirst of all, let's start with Arcadia. But today I want to shift the eye of the reader to another, less known, but equally fascinating case: The rivalry between the Arcadian towns Tegea and Mantineia. Even the oppositions between Argos and Sparta or Rome and Constantinople (albeit in a different sense) are well known to the audience on this forum. The rivalry of Athens and Sparta and their decisive fight in the Peloponnesian War, brought to us by the great historian Thucydides, stoods in the center of the historian's and fans' interest as well. The epic struggles between Rome and Carthage in the three Punic Wars are as hot as ever, not the least with the upcoming release of Total War: Rome II. Rivalries between cities in the ancient world are a popular and well known topic. Rivals in Arcadia - Tegea and Mantineia in the Archaic and Classical Greek World I have another historical article for you This one is about the Arcadian cities Mantineia and Tegea, but also a lot about Sparta.
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