The Athenian Lebadus gave his name to Livadia, once known as Mideia, according to tradition. Renowned in antiquity for its Oracle of Trophonius, which had been visited by important and powerful figures of the times, it grew, especially after the early 18th century. Franks and Ottomans conquered its plains over the centuries, which had provided clergymen, scholars, and merchants to the Greek communities of Russia and central Europe. Although it suffered during the Greek War of Independence, it succeeded in reconstructing, and by 1841 it was one of the most robust economic centres of the modern Greek state.