Peloponnesos

Peloponnesos, also known as the Peloponnese, is a large peninsula in southern Greece. It is connected to the mainland by the Isthmus of Corinth, with the Corinth Canal cut across the isthmus in the 19th century. The peninsula lies between the Ionian Sea to the west and the Aegean Sea to the east, and it features a rugged interior with mountains such as Taygetus in the south and Parnon in the east. Its lands include fertile plains in Elis, Messenia, and Laconia, as well as extensive coastlines and a number of historic towns.

The name derives from the mythic king Pelops. In antiquity, the Peloponnese was the home of powerful polities, most notably Sparta in Laconia and Argos in Argolis. It was the core of the Peloponnesian League, led by Sparta, and the setting of the Peloponnesian War (431–404 BCE). The region later came under the influence of Macedon and, after Roman conquest, became part of the Roman and Byzantine realms. In the late medieval and early modern periods it formed the Ottoman province known as the Morea.

Today the Peloponnese is a periphery of modern Greece, subdivided into regional units such as Achaea, Arcadia, Argolis, Laconia, Messenia, and Elis. It is known for mountains, coastal towns, and archaeological sites that attract visitors, including Olympia, Epidaurus, Mycenae, and Nafplio. The regional economy combines agriculture—olives, citrus, and wine—with shipping, tourism, and other activities.