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Peloponnese, traffic lines 2007
Peloponnese, traffic lines 2007

The Peloponnese or Peloponesus (Greek: Πελοπόνησος Pelopónnisos; see also List of Greek place names) is a large peninsula and region in southern Greece, forming the part of the country south of the Gulf of Corinth. Greek (el ελληνική γλώσσα or simply el ελληνικά — "Hellenic" is an Indo-European language, spoken today by 15-22 million people mainly This is a list of Greek place names. That is a list of the names of places as they exist in the Greek language. A peninsula is a piece of land that is nearly surrounded by Water but connected to Mainland via an Isthmus. The regions ( γεωγραφικά διαμερίσματα, lit Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία The Gulf of Corinth or the Corinthian Gulf is a deep inlet of the Ionian Sea separating the Peloponnese from western mainland Greece. The peninsula is divided among three distinct peripheries of modern Greece: most of the Peloponnese and parts of the West Greece and Attica peripheries. The peripheries ( Περιφέρειες) are the official regional Administrative divisions of Greece. Peloponnese ( Greek: Πελοπόννησος Peloponnesos) is a periphery in southern Greece. West Greece is one of the thirteen Peripheries of Greece. It is divided into the prefectures of Achaea, Aetolia-Acarnania and Elis Attica (Αττική Attikí;) is a periphery (subdivision in Greece, containing Athens, the capital of Greece

Contents

Prefectures

early summer seen from space
early summer seen from space

Geography

The Peloponnese covers an area of some 21,549 km² (8,320 square miles) and constitutes the southernmost part of mainland Greece. Arcadia or Arkadía ( Greek Αρκαδία is a region of Greece in the Peloponnesus. Argolis (Αργολίδα Argolída, aɾɣo̞ˈliða Argolís in Ancient Greek and Katharevousa) is one of the fifty-one Prefectures of Corinthia (Greek Κορινθία Korinthía) is the area around the city of Corinth, located in the north-eastern part of the Peloponnese peninsula Agioi Theodoroi (Άγιοι Θεόδωροι is an suburb of Athens Greece located around 12 km east of Corinth and about 63 km W of Athens Loutraki-Perachora (Greek Λουτράκι-Περαχώρα is a municipality of Corinthia Prefecture, Greece. The Corinth Canal is a Canal that connects the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea. For the Laconian dialect see Doric Greek For the Ancient Kingdom see Sparta For the laconic expression see Laconic Messenia or Messinia (Μεσσηνία is a prefecture in the Peloponnese, a region of Greece. Achaea (Αχαΐα Achaïa, axaˈia in Polytonic orthography) is an ancient province and a present prefecture of Greece, on the northern Ilia (Modern Greek Ηλεία - Ileía, also Elia) is a prefecture in the Western Peloponnese and in Western portion of Greece Piraeus is one of the Prefectures of Greece. It is part of the periphery of Attica and the Athens-Piraeus super-prefecture. Methana (Μέθανα can refer to a town a municipality, a Volcano (the Methana Volcano) and a Peninsula located in the Piraeus Prefecture Troezen (ˈtriːzən Τροιζήν modern Troizina or Trizina, Turkish: Damala is a small town (pop Poros (Πόρος is a small Greek island-pair in the southern part of the Saronic Gulf, at a distance about 58 km (31 nautical miles south from Piraeus While technically it may be considered an island since the construction of the Corinth Canal in 1893 - like other peninsulas that have been separated from their mainland by man-made bodies of waters - it is rarely, if ever, referred to as an "island". The Corinth Canal is a Canal that connects the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea. Year 1893 ( MDCCCXCIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common It has two land connections with the rest of Greece, a natural one at the Isthmus of Corinth and an artificial one in the shape of the Rio-Antirio bridge (completed 2004). The Isthmus of Corinth is the narrow landbridge which connects the Peloponnese peninsula with the mainland of Greece, near the city of Corinth "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again "

The peninsula has a mountainous interior and deeply indented coasts, with Mount Taygetus its highest point. Geographical features Kouakiou river Rintomo gorge * Viros gorge Places on the Taygetus It possesses four south-pointing peninsulas, Messenia, the Mani Peninsula, Cape Malea (also known as Epidaurus Limera), and the Argolid in the far northeast of the Peloponnese. Messenia or Messinia (Μεσσηνία is a prefecture in the Peloponnese, a region of Greece. The Mani Peninsula ( Μάνη in Greek) also long known as Maina or Maïna, is a region in Greece. Cape Malea (Ακρωτήριος Μαλέας or Κάβο Μαλέα is one of the Peninsulas in the southeast of the Peloponnese in Greece. Argolis (Αργολίδα Argolída, aɾɣo̞ˈliða Argolís in Ancient Greek and Katharevousa) is one of the fifty-one Prefectures of

Two groups of islands lie off the Peloponnesan coast: the Argo-Saronic Islands to the east and the Ionian Islands to the west. Argo-Saronic Islands is a term combining the Islands in the neighboring Saronic Gulf and Argolic Gulf, both of which open into the Aegean Sea This article is about the group of islands west of Greece For the ancient region in western Anatolia see Ionia. The island of Kythira, off the Epidaurus Limera peninsula to the south of the Peloponnese, is considered to be part of the Ionian Islands. Kythira (Κύθηρα Cythera, Kythera, Cerigo is an Island of Greece, historically part of the Ionian Islands.

History

Map of the Peloponnese in classical antiquity
Map of the Peloponnese in classical antiquity

The peninsula has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Classical antiquity (also the classical era or classical period) is a broad term for a long period of cultural History centered on the Mediterranean Stone Age Paleolithic See also Paleolithic, Recent African Origin, Early Homo sapiens, Early human migrations "Paleolithic" Its modern name derives from ancient Greek mythology, specifically the legend of the hero Pelops who was said to have conquered the entire region. Greek mythology is the body of stories belonging to the ancient Greeks concerning their gods and Heroes the nature of the world and the origins and significance In Greek mythology, Pelops ( Greek Πέλοψ, from pelios: dark and ops: face eye king of Pisa in the Peloponnesus was venerated The name Peloponnesos means "Island of Pelops". During the Middle Ages, the peninsula was known as the Morea. Morea ( Greek: Μορέας or Μοριάς) was the name of the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece during the Middle Ages [1] According to folk etymology, this is because the Crusaders found it densely planted with mulberry trees (Greek: moreai) used by the flourishing silk industry. The Crusades were a series of military campaigns of a religious character waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents Silk is a natural Protein Fiber, some forms of which can be woven into Textiles The best-known type of silk is obtained from cocoons

Mainland Greece's (and Europe's) first major civilization, the Aegean (or Mycenaean) civilization, dominated the Peloponnese in the Bronze Age from the stronghold at Mycenae in the north-east of the peninsula. Aegean civilization is a general term for the Bronze Age Civilizations of Greece and the Aegean. The term Bronze Age refers to a period in human cultural development when the most advanced Metalworking (at least in systematic and widespread use included techniques for "Lion Gate" redirects here For other uses see Lions' Gate (disambiguation. During classical antiquity, the Peloponnese was at the heart of the affairs of ancient Greece, possessed some of its most powerful city-states and saw some of its bloodiest battles. Classical antiquity (also the classical era or classical period) is a broad term for a long period of cultural History centered on the Mediterranean The term ancient Greece refers to the period of Greek history lasting from the Greek Dark Ages ca It was the site of the cities of Sparta, Corinth, Argos and Megalopolis, and was the homeland of the Peloponnesian League. The city of Sparta ( Doric Σπάρτα Attic Σπάρτη Corinth, or Korinth ( Greek Κόρινθος ( is a city in Greece. Argos ( Greek: Ἄργος, Árgos ˈaɾɣos is a city in Greece in the Peloponnese near Nafplio, which was its historic harbor Ancient Megalopolis, or now Megalópoli (Μεγαλόπολη is a town in the western part of the prefecture of Arcadia. The Peloponnesian League was an alliance of states in the Peloponnese in the 6th and 5th centuries BC. The peninsula was involved in the Persian Wars and was the scene of the Peloponnesian War of 431 BC-404 BC. Events By place Greece Athens enters into an alliance with King Sitalkes of Thrace, after Nymphodorus an influential Athenian Events By place Greece The Athenian leader Cleophon continues to urge resistance against the Peloponnesians but the situation It fell to the expanding Roman Republic in 146 BC and became the province of Achaea. The Roman Republic was the phase of the ancient Roman civilization characterized by a Republican form of government a period which began with the overthrow of the Achaea was a province of the Roman Empire, consisting of the modern-day Peloponnese in southern Greece and bordered on the north by

The Peloponnese was subsequently ruled by the Byzantine Empire (but some areas were under Slavic rule between 618-805), until the Fourth Crusade in 1204, when it was lost to the Venetians and Franks. The Fourth Crusade (1202&ndash1204 was originally designed to conquer Muslim Jerusalem by means of an invasion through Egypt. The Most Serene Republic of Venice ((Serenìsima Repùblica Vèneta or Repùblica de Venesia Serenissima Repubblica The Franks or Frankish people (Franci or gens Francorum) were West Germanic tribes first identified in the 3rd century as an Ethnic group The Franks founded the Principality of Achaea in the northern half of the peninsula in 1205, while the Venetians occupied a number of ports around the coast such as Monemvasia (Benefşe for Ottomans), Pylos and Koroni, which they retained into the 15th century. The Principality of Achaea or of the Morea was one of the three Vassal states of the Latin Empire which replaced the Byzantine Empire Monemvassia (Μονεμβασία Μονεμβάσια Μονεμβασιά and known by the Franks as Malvasia, is a well-known Medieval fortress with an adjacent This article is about the Greek geographical feature and town Koroni (Κορώνη is a town and municipality in Messenia, Greece of Arvanite origin The Byzantines regained control of the southeastern part of the peninsula, centred at the fortified hill town of Mystras near Sparta. Mystras (also Mistra, Mystra and Mistras Greek: Μυστράς Μυζηθράς Mizithras or Myzithras in the From there, the Greek Despotate of Morea staged a revival from the mid-13th century through to the mid-15th century, until the Ottoman Turks overran the Peloponnese between 1458-1460. The Despotate of Morea ( Δεσποτάτο του Μορέως) was a province of the Byzantine Empire which existed between the mid- 14th and mid- The Ottoman Turks were the subdivision of the Ottoman Muslim Millet that dominated the ruling class of the Ottoman Empire. The Venetians occupied the peninsula between 1685-1715, after the successful Morean War (1684-1699) but Ottoman control was reestablished in 1715. Year 1715 ( MDCCXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a The Morean War ( La guerra di Morea) was a campaign fought during the Great Turkish War between the Republic of Venice and the Ottoman Empire Morea was a sanjak of Rumelia Province and her center was Gördes between 1458-1687. Corinth, or Korinth ( Greek Κόρινθος ( is a city in Greece. Morea was divided to 4 provinces: Romania (Centre: Anaboli), Laconia (Centre: Malvazya), Mezonia (Centre: Navarin) and Akhaia (Centre: Balyabarda) during Venetian rule. Neapoli or Neapolis (Νεάπολις πόλις 'new city' may refer to the following places Cities In Greece: Monemvassia (Μονεμβασία Μονεμβάσια Μονεμβασιά and known by the Franks as Malvasia, is a well-known Medieval fortress with an adjacent Messenia or Messinia (Μεσσηνία is a prefecture in the Peloponnese, a region of Greece. This article is about the Greek geographical feature and town Patras ( Demotic Greek: Πάτρα, Pátra, ˈpatra Classical Greek: Πάτραι, Pátrai, Patrae is Greece Ototman established Province of Morea in 1715. Year 1715 ( MDCCXV) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a The province divided to sanjaks of Gördes, Mizistre, Ayamavra, Karliili (Centre was Preveze and bounded to the province between 1715-1717 and 1800-1821), İnebahtı, Balyabarda and Manya. Mystras (also Mistra, Mystra and Mistras Greek: Μυστράς Μυζηθράς Mizithras or Myzithras in the Lefkada, or Leucas (Λευκάδα le̞fˈkaða Ancient Greek and Katharevousa: Λευκάς Leukás; Santa Maura is a Greek Preveza (Πρέβεζα is a town in northwestern Greece, located at the mouth of the Ambracian Gulf. Naupactus or Nafpaktos (Ναύπακτος rarely Έπαχτος Naupactus or Naupactos İnebahtı Italian Spanish and Portuguese Lepanto is the second largest town Centre of the Province at first Gördes, after Lontari and Anaboli, at last Trabliçe. Tripoli (Τρίπολη Trípoli, formerly Τρίπολις Trípolis; rarely Tripolitsa, Tripolitza and Tripolizza Throughout the 18th century, Ottoman authority remained relatively solid and opposed only by rebellions in the Mani Peninsula, the southernmost part of the Peloponnese, and the activities of the bands of the klephts. The Mani Peninsula ( Μάνη in Greek) also long known as Maina or Maïna, is a region in Greece. Klephts ( Greek κλέφτης, pl κλέφτες - kleftis, kleftes, which originally meant just "thieves" The Russian-instigated Orlov Revolt of 1770 temporarily threatened Ottoman rule, but was quickly and brutally subdued. The Orlov Revolt ( 1770) was a precursor to the Greek War of Independence ( 1821) which saw a Greek uprising in the Peloponnese at

The Peloponnesians played a major role in the Greek War of Independence – the war actually began in the Peloponnese, when rebels took control of Kalamata on March 23, 1821. The Greek War of Independence (1821–1829 also commonly known as the Greek Revolution (Ελληνική Επανάσταση Elliniki Epanastasi; Ottoman Kalamata (Καλαμάτα Kalamáta, formerly Καλάμαι Kalámai) is the second-largest city of the Peloponnese in southern Greece Events 1174 - Jocelin, Abbot of Melrose, is elected Bishop of Glasgow. Year 1821 ( MDCCCXXI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common year The decisive naval Battle of Navarino was fought off Pylos on the west coast of the Peloponnese, and the city of Napoli di Romania or Nafplion or Mora Yenişehri on the east coast became the seat of independent Greece's first parliament. The naval Battle of Navarino was fought on 20 October 1827, during the Greek War of Independence (1821&ndash32 in Navarino Bay, on the west Nafplion (Ναύπλιο in the Peloponnese in Greece, is a seaport town that has expanded up the hillsides near the north end of the Argolic Gulf

During the 19th and 20th century, the region became a relatively poor backwater and a significant part of its population emigrated to the larger cities of Greece, especially Athens, and other countries such as the United States and Australia. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar The twentieth century of the Common Era began on Athens (ˈæθənz Αθήνα Athina,) the Capital and largest city of Greece, dominates the Attica periphery as one of the world's The United States of America —commonly referred to as the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. It was badly affected by the Second World War and Greek Civil War, experiencing some of the worst atrocities committed in Greece during those conflicts. World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Greek Civil War (ο Eμφύλιος, "the Civil War" fought from 1946 to 1949 by the Governmental forces receiving logistical support by the United Kingdom Living standards have improved dramatically throughout Greece since then, especially after the country's accession to the European Union in 1981. The European Union ( EU) is a political and economic union of twenty-seven member states, located primarily in Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 The rural Peloponnese is renowned for being amongst the most traditionalist and conservative regions of Greece and is a stronghold of the right-wing New Democracy party, while the larger urban centres like Kalamata and especially Patra are bastions of the centre-left Panhellenic Socialist Movement. Conservatism is a term used to describe political philosophies that favour Tradition, where tradition refers to various religious cultural or nationally defined New Democracy ( ND, Greek: Νέα Δημοκρατία Néa Dimokratía) founded in 1974 is the main center-right political party in Greece Kalamata (Καλαμάτα Kalamáta, formerly Καλάμαι Kalámai) is the second-largest city of the Peloponnese in southern Greece Patras ( Demotic Greek: Πάτρα, Pátra, ˈpatra Classical Greek: Πάτραι, Pátrai, Patrae is Greece The Panhellenic Socialist Movement, better known as PASOK ( Greek: Πανελλήνιο Σοσιαλιστικό Κίνημα Pa nellinio So

2007 forest fires

Main article: 2007 Greek forest fires
The 2007 forest fires as seen from space; the north Peloponnese was burnt in 2000
The 2007 forest fires as seen from space; the north Peloponnese was burnt in 2000

In late August 2007, large parts of Peloponnese suffered from wildfires, which caused severe damage in villages, forests and the death of more than 60 people. The 2007 Greek forest fires were a series of massive forest fires that broke out in several areas across Greece throughout the summer of 2007 The 2007 Greek forest fires were a series of massive forest fires that broke out in several areas across Greece throughout the summer of 2007 The impact of the fires to the environment and economy of the region are still unknown. It is thought to be the largest environmental disaster in modern Greek history.

Cities

The principal modern cities of the Peloponnese are (2001 census):

Archaeological sites

The Peloponnese possesses many important archaeological sites dating from the Bronze Age through to the Middle Ages. Year 2001 ( MMI) was a Common year starting on Monday according to the Gregorian calendar. Patras ( Demotic Greek: Πάτρα, Pátra, ˈpatra Classical Greek: Πάτραι, Pátrai, Patrae is Greece Kalamata (Καλαμάτα Kalamáta, formerly Καλάμαι Kalámai) is the second-largest city of the Peloponnese in southern Greece Corinth, or Korinth ( Greek Κόρινθος ( is a city in Greece. Tripoli (Τρίπολη Trípoli, formerly Τρίπολις Trípolis; rarely Tripolitsa, Tripolitza and Tripolizza Argos ( Greek: Ἄργος, Árgos ˈaɾɣos is a city in Greece in the Peloponnese near Nafplio, which was its historic harbor Pyrgos (Πύργος is the capital of the Prefecture of Ilia in Greece. Aigio ( Greek: Modern Αίγιο Ancient/Katharevousa -on Latin: Aegium also Egio or Egion is a town in northeast Achaea The city of Sparta ( Doric Σπάρτα Attic Σπάρτη Nafplion (Ναύπλιο in the Peloponnese in Greece, is a seaport town that has expanded up the hillsides near the north end of the Argolic Gulf Among the most notable are:

See also

Notes

  1. ^ In Turkish it is still known as Mora. Bassae (Latin or Bassai, Vassai or Vasses ( Greek, Modern Βάσσες, Ancient Βάσσαι) meaning "little Corinth, or Korinth ( Greek Κόρινθος ( is a city in Greece. Epidaurus (Ἐπίδαυρος Epidavros) was a small city ( Polis) in ancient Greece, at the Saronic Gulf. Messene was also the name of a Greek colony in Sicily, initially founded as Zancle and nowadays known as Messina. Mystras (also Mistra, Mystra and Mistras Greek: Μυστράς Μυζηθράς Mizithras or Myzithras in the The city of Sparta ( Doric Σπάρτα Attic Σπάρτη Monemvassia (Μονεμβασία Μονεμβάσια Μονεμβασιά and known by the Franks as Malvasia, is a well-known Medieval fortress with an adjacent "Lion Gate" redirects here For other uses see Lions' Gate (disambiguation. Aegean civilization is a general term for the Bronze Age Civilizations of Greece and the Aegean. Olympia ( Greek: Olympí'a or Olýmpia, older transliterations Olimpia, Olimbia) a sanctuary of ancient Greece The Olympic Games is an international Multi-sport event established for both summer and winter games This article is about the Greek geographical feature and town Tegea was a settlement in ancient Greece and it is also a municipality in modern Arcadia, Greece, with its seat in the village Stadio. Tiryns (in ancient Greek Τίρυνς and in modern Τίρυνθα is a Mycenaean Archaeological site in the Greek nomos of The country of Greece is located in southeastern Europe, on the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula. Morea ( Greek: Μορέας or Μοριάς) was the name of the Peloponnese peninsula in southern Greece during the Middle Ages Greece consists of 13 administrative regions known as Peripheries of Greece, which are further subdivided into 3 super-prefectures and 54 prefectures or nomes The Peloponnesian League was an alliance of states in the Peloponnese in the 6th and 5th centuries BC. Turkish ( tr Türkçe IPA) is a language spoken by over 63 million people worldwide making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages.

External links

Dictionary

Peloponnese

-proper noun

  1. Also Peloponnesus; the peninsular (or island) forming the southern part of the mainland of Greece. One of the 13 peripheries of Greece; it contains Achaea, Arcadia, Argolis, Corinthia, Elia, Laconia and Messenia. Known as Morea in medieval times.
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