In European Renaissance arts, Arcadia was celebrated as an unspoiled, harmonious wilderness; as such, it was referenced in popular culture.

In the 7th century BC, it successfully faced the threat of Sparta and the Arcadians managed to maintain their independence.

They participated in the Persian Wars alongside other Greeks by sending forces to Thermopylae and Plataea.

In the following years, during the period of the hegemony of Thebes, the Theban general Epaminondas reinforced the Arcadian federation in order to rival neighboring Sparta.

Most of the region of Arcadia was mountainous, apart from the plains around Tegea and Megalopolis, and the valleys of the Alpheios and Ladon rivers.

Some of these were Nostia,[4] Asea, Ypsounta, Teuthis, Heraea, Thyraion, Nestani, Alea, Lykosoura, Trikolonon, Tropea, Caphyae, Pallantion, Petrosaca, Feneos, Phoezon, Leucasium, Mesoboa, Stymphalus, etc.

Despoina means "the mistress", but was only a title given to the goddess, and was not her real name, which was told only to those initiated in the mysteries.