Arcadia

Arcadia, one of the ancient divisions of the Peloponnesus, in Greece, occupying the centre of the peninsula, surrounded by mountains, rugged, but interspersed with rich pastures, and possessing a cold climate. It was the home of the Pelasgi, and that primitive race was never much disturbed there by Dorian immigration. Until 668 B.C. the country was parcelled out amongst a number of small republics. Then a federation was established, and Megalopolis was built as its centre. The Arcadians joined the Achaean League in 228 B.C., and eighty years later became incorporated in the Roman province of Achaia. The inhabitants retained a simplicity of manners that commended them to the classical poets, and Arcadia has passed into later literature as the ideal abode of such shepherds and shepherdesses as Florian sang and Watteau painted. Another aspect of Arcadian character indicates that a considerable amount of shrewd knavery and dense stupidity was occasionally mingled with its rustic virtues.