Prastos

Prastos Πραστός
Community
View of Prastos
Prastos
Coordinates: 37°16′N 22°41′E
Country	Greece
Administrative region	Peloponnese
Regional unit	Arcadia
Municipality	North Kynouria
Elevation	255 m (837 ft)
Population  (2021)
• Community	465
Time zone	UTC+2 (EET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (EEST)
Postal code	221 00
Area code	27550

Prastos (Greek: Πραστός, Tsakonian: Πραστέ) is a settlement in Arcadia, Greece. Formerly, Prastos was the premier town of the Tsakonian region, but declined in importance after its devastation by Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt during the Greek War of Independence and a general economic migration to urban areas that occurred in the following decades. It is considered a traditional settlement.

History

During the Ottoman period, Prastos was the leading city of Tsakonia, and one of the richest in the Peloponnese. The inhabitants had special trading rights granted by the Sublime Porte, which contributed to the town's economic success. It was the seat of a bishopric, that of "Rheoi and Prastos."

During the Greek War of Independence, the town was sacked by Ibrahim Pasha of Egypt and its olive groves burned, making the settlement unsuitable for habitation for decades hence. Much of the surviving population fled to Leonidio and the Argolid and could not be persuaded to return to the relatively less fertile mountains even after the olive groves had recovered.

See also

• List of settlements in Arcadia
• List of traditional settlements of Greece