Peloponnesus
the ancient name of the Morea. Among its most important cities were Sparta in Laconia, and Argos the capital of Argolis. Sparta acquired, after the Messenian war, a decided supremacy over the other states, and disputed the supremacy with Athens in a war of almost 30 years' duration (431-404 в. c.) - the famous Peloponnesian War, of which the history has been written by Thucydides. After the Roman conquest, the Peloponnesus formed part of the province of Achaia, and subsequently belonged to the Byzantine empire.