Achaean

Achaean is an adjective and a noun relating to Achaea, a region in the northern and central Peloponnese of Greece. As a demonym, Achaean refers to the inhabitants of Achaea. In ancient Greek literature, the term Achaeans is commonly used to denote the Greek people, especially in the context of the Trojan War, where it appears as a classical designation for the coalition of Greek city-states.

Historically, Achaea was a recognized geographic and political region with a number of city-states. In the Hellenistic period, the Achaean League emerged as a federal association of city-states in Greece, playing a major role in regional politics and diplomacy. The league expanded over time but was eventually defeated by Rome in the Achaean War (146 BCE), after which Achaea became a Roman province.

In modern Greece, Achaea (Achaia) is a regional unit within the periphery of Western Greece, with Patras as its capital. The term Achaean can still be used to describe people from this region, though the historical and political contexts are distinct from ancient usage. The word remains common in literary and historical discussions referencing ancient Greece and its geography.