ACARNANIA  , a

district of ancient Greece, bounded on the W. by the Ionian Sea, on the N. by the Ambracian Gulf, on the E. and S. by Mt . Thyamus and the Achelous . The Echinades islands, off the S.W. coast, are gradually being joined up to the mainland . Its most populous region was the plain of the Achelous, commanded by the principal town Stratus; communication with the coast was impeded by mountain ridges and lagoons . Its people long continued in semi-barbarism, having little intercourse with the rest of Greece . In the 5th century B.C. with the aid of Athens they subdued the Corinthian factories on their coast . In 391 they submitted to the Spartan king Agesilaus; in 371 they passed under Theban control . In the Hellenistic age the Acarnanians were constantly assailed by their Aetolian neighbours . On the advice of Cassander they made effective their ancient cantonal league, apparently after the pattern of Aetolia . In the 3rd century they obtained assistance from the Illyrians, and formed a close alliance with Philip V. of Macedonia, whom they supported in his Roman wars, their new federal capital, Leucas, standing a siege in his interest . For their sympathy with his successor Perseus they were deprived of Leucas and required to send hostages to Rome (167) . The country was finally desolated by Augustus, who drafted its inhabitants into Nicopolis and Patrae .

Acarnania took a prominent

part in the national uprising of 1821; it is now joined with Aetolia as a nome . The sites of several ancient towns in Acarnania are marked by well-preserved walls, especially those of Stratus, Oeniadae and Limnaea .