Abstract
The poleis on the plain around present-day Tripolis, and particularly Mantineia and Tegea, loom in the ancient sources on Arcadia, and with good reason. Both were important actors in politics and warfare in Greece in the 5th -4 th century BC. There are several reasons for this. Both poleis were located on the easternmost and largest highland plain of Arcadia, which is vital for all communication on the Peloponnese, whether north-south or east-west. But the highland plain was also fertile and could support a large population and this is perhaps the most important factor behind the importance of both Mantineia and Tegea in the historical record.1 This article will focus on Tegea in the southern part of the plain, particularly some key elements concerning the natural environment of great importance for the archaeological record, a reappraisal of the archaeological documentation, and a reevaluation of the longdebated question of when and how state formation and urbanization occurred.
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