Tripoli History

Mount Maenalon, next to Tripoli, is the home of the ancient god Panas.  Arcadia had been the homeland of the Pelasgians, and was later inhabited by Dorians.  Ancient Arcadian cities had many colonies, as in Cyprus (Pafos) and in Italy (Rome).  They sided against Sparta, with which they had always been at odds.  The most important Arcadian cities were Tegea and Mantineia.

The League of the Arcadians was founded in Megalopolis in 369 B.C., and later Arcadia joined the Commonwealth of Achaia.  Under Roman Rule, it began to decline and was subsequently deserted after raids by Alarichos and the Slavs.  Franks came in the 12th century, and it was later overrun by the Turks in 1458.

Arcadia was the site of major and decisive battles during the War of Independence of 1821 against the Turks.  On 23 September, 1821, general Theodoros Kolokotronis led Greek rebels to conquer and liberate Tripoli.  It was a decisive factor for the progress and the final success of the revolution.