Agios Ioannis Arkadias is a mountainous village built at an altitude of 725 m, 18 km west of Astros Kynouria. It is administratively subordinated to the Municipality of North Kynouria and has 71 inhabitants. Its contribution to the 1821 revolution was important, as he brought forth important personalities such as Panos Sariyannis and Anagnostis Papazoglou, as well as the inhabitants of Astros, brothers Zafiropoulians (Ioannis Zafeiropoulos, Konstantinos Zafeiropoulos and Panagiotis Zafeiropoulos (Akouros), which played a key role in the preparation and during the revolution. Upon the onset of the revolution, over 100 Aghiannians, most notably the Georgaki Digeni, who under the leadership of the Zafiropoulos family, were joined by the various Kynourian military bodies.
Their participation in various battles, such as the one in Doliana, Vervena, Tripolitsas, etc. was also important. In the summer of 1822, Agios Ioannis became the capital of the Temporary Government of the Revolution, from August the 15th to October the 1st.
In 1826 the village was completely destroyed by the hordes of Ibrahim Pasha, and the same fortune had other villages in the area. Ibrahim Pasha also destroyed many churches, such as Agios Vasilis, Agios Eustratius, Agios Petros and many others, as well as the School of Karytsiotis.
In 1845, the village became the base of the Kynouria District. From 1834 to 1912, it was the summer base of the Municipality of Thyrea. Astros and Paralio Astros came from the village of Agios Ioannis, as well as other settlements. Astros and Agios Ioannis <Agiannis> have always been administratively a community, as today and most importantly the inhabitants of Agiannites and Astrinoi are the same inhabitants. The village has many traditional springs, such as Soulinari, Perdikoneri, Pigadaki, Mousga, Prodromo and others.A little lower than the temple of the Baptist, there are 5 watermills surviving until recently and ground with Prodromos water. A few kilometers outside the village lies the Castle of Oria, built in 1256 by the Franconian ruler William II of Villehardouin, in order to subdue the Tsakones in the area. Very close to the village, there are also the famous Bloodfalls.
The village has traditional buildings, guest houses, taverns and is planted with trees. In the summer and in celebrations, the village has a lot of people, especially at the feasts of Agia Paraskevi, Prophet Elias on the 15th of August, Agios Panteleimonas and Prodromos. Also, every year of Saint George is a representation of an old custom and a feast. In the winter the villagers descend to Astros, leaving the village with few people.
