According to Greek mythology, Arcadia of Peloponnesus was the domain of Pan, a virgin wilderness home to the god of the forest and his court of dryads, nymphs and other spirits of nature.

Now English speakers often use "arcadia" to designate a place of rustic innocence and simple, quiet pleasure. "Arcadian" can mean "idyllically pastoral" or "idyllically innocent, simple, or untroubled."

The name Arcadia thus came to be a symbol of ideal simplicity, rural beauty, and contentment. It was represented as a kind of paradise in Greek and Roman poetry and Renaissance romances.

It takes its name from the mythological character Arcas, and in Greek mythology it was the home of the gods Hermes and Pan. In European Renaissance arts, Arcadia was celebrated as an unspoiled, harmonious wilderness; as such, it was referenced in popular culture.