Zarakas was established in a strategically important location where prehistoric settlement had already existed. According to tradition, the city was named after the mythical hero Zarikas. Throughout antiquity, the city frequently became the focal point of conflicts between Argos and Sparta, leading to the construction of its impressive fortifications during the Hellenistic period. After the Battle of Thyrea, it came under Spartan control, was later awarded to Argos by Philip II after the Battle of Chaeronea, and in 272 BC suffered severe destruction at the hands of Cleonymus. A few decades later, in 219 BC, the Spartan king Lycurgus failed to capture the city thanks to its exceptionally strong fortifications. During the Roman period, Zarakas became part of the League of the Free Laconians and, despite its gradual decline, continued to be inhabited, as evidenced by the surviving buildings. In Late Antiquity, an Early Christian basilica was erected within the acropolis, while during the Byzantine period the area belonged to the Metropolis of Monemvasia. Today, the archaeological site impresses visitors with the preservation of its fortifications and later monuments, making it one of Laconia's most important historical and archaeological landmarks. Further archaeological excavations are expected to reveal even more about its long and fascinating history.