Acarnania

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An ancient region on the western side of central Greece, bordering the Ionian Sea and facing the island of Leucas
2. A historical district in western Greece, located along the Ionian coast and known in antiquity for its rugged terrain
3. The name of an old Greek territory lying west of Aetolia, whose people were noted in classical times for their remote mountainous land

Etymology: Acarnania is a region in western Greece, on the Ionian coast facing the island of Lefkada, and its name comes from the ancient Greek "Akarnan," traditionally linked to a mythical figure said to have been the son of Alcmaeon. The surprise is that the Greeks themselves had no settled explanation for the name, and modern scholars have not agreed on one either. The ancient region was known for its rugged, sparsely settled interior and a reputation for being somewhat rustic and independent, a stance the Athenians found easy to mock. Its inhabitants, the Acarnanians, appear in Thucydides' history of the Peloponnesian War, where they fought alongside Athens against Sparta and Corinth. The region's name survives today in the modern Greek prefecture of Aetolia-Acarnania, which combines it with the neighboring region of Aetolia.