The province of Megalopoli is in the southwest of the prefecture of Arkadia and in the centre of the Peloponnese. It is 200 km from Athens and 35 km. from Tripoli. The province includes two municipalities and 43 communes. The capital and centre of the eparchy is the modern town that bears the same name.

The ancient city was founded in 371 BC by the Theban general, Epaminondas, after his victory at Leuctra and established itself as the largest city in Arkadia. The city flourished and typical examples of its prosperity were the many monuments that adorning it, such as sanctuaries, altars, statues, the agora and the theatre.

In 222 BC Megalopoli was destroyed by Cleomenes from Sparta and the surviving inhabitants took refuge in neighbouring Messenia. In Roman times, according to Strabo, it was a wasteland. Nevertheless, fragments of Diocletian's Market Prices Edict (301 AD) have survived. There must also have been a Christian community, shown by the scattered architectural parts of a Basilica and the 6th c. AD mosaics, which were found on the site of the modern National Electricity Board estate.

Megalopoli was the birthplace of various historical personages, including Philopoemen, Polybius General Dicaeus and Lycoortas.

The Theatre at Megalopoli, "the grandest in Greece", according to Pausanias, was a testimony to the powerful Arkadian Cofederacy of Epaminondas. It held 20,000 spectators and had excellent acoustics. Many of its marble blocks have survived the passage of time and today we can still watch performances of ancient Greek drama. By a decision of the State the theatre is being restored and will shortIy regain its original form. Beside the Theatre was the Bouleuterion (Council Chamber) of the Arkadian Confederacy. It rested on marble columns and seated 6, 000 people with room for 4, 000 standing. In recent years excavations have been carried out by a team of German archaeologists under Professor Lauter of Marburg University. The latest ones have uncovered important ancient structures, like the stoa of Philip and the Temple of Zeus, which is in the area of the Ancient Agora.

Today Megalopoli has 10,000 inhabitants. It lies at an elevation of 430 in. and is built in a valley traversed by the Elissonas, a tributary of the river Alphens, who was one of the ancient Arkadian gods.

The town possesses all the necessary infrastructure for comfortable living, incInding public services, banks, Health Centre, hotels, restaurants and recreation places. It also has a Moto cross designed to international standards, which ranks among the universally recognised tracks for international competitions. It is available to all motorcycle competition fans. Aerosports are available as well, thanks to the aerosport center with its continually growing infrastructure.