Areus I, Sparta, Agiad dynasty, Pyrrhus, Macedon, Cleonymus, Diadochi wars, Alexander the Great, Antigonus Gonatas, Laconia, Peloponnese
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Abstract
Areus I, king of Sparta from 309 to 265 BC, led the city through various conflicts, including against Pyrrhus and Macedon, and implemented defensive measures.
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[...] He was the son of Acrotatos. SON RÈGNE In 309 BC, Acrotatos died during his father's lifetime, Cleomenes II. Areus, his son, and Cleomenes II's son, Cleonymus, his brother, both claimed the throne of Sparta. The assembly of the great men of the kingdom, the Gerousia, leaned towards Areus. The latter became the heir to the throne and Cleonymus became the regent since Areus, still too young to rule, had to be assisted. Areus had to wait until he was 14 years old to be able to take power and actually rule. [...]
[...] A siege began. Areus was absent at the beginning of the battle, as he was busy helping the city of Gortyn, which was at war with Cnossus. Areus returned to Sparta with 2000 Cretans, replacing the women and people too old for military service, who had been a precious help in resisting Pyrrhus I's troops, also aided by Antigonus Gonatas, the deposed king of Macedon, who eventually lifted the siege and went to Argos, because there, the Cretan and Spartan troops harassed and annihilated Pyrrhus' rear guard. [...]
[...] A first battle took place between Archidamus IV of Laconia and the king of Macedon. The victory was resounding for the king of Macedon and his troops, causing many losses to the adversary and especially to Sparta, which came in reinforcements. Areus realized that his kingdom would not be able to defend itself effectively against the Macedonians and strengthened Sparta. Thus, a wall and ditches were born. However, it was rudimentary and not enough. The king of Macedon took advantage of this to breach it and thus take Sparta. [...]
[...] Areus was its leader. However, nothing went as planned, and the new league, although important, had to admit defeat in 281-280 BC, crushed by the Aetolians, who were outnumbered. In 275 BC, Cleonymus had to go into exile and became the enemy to be defeated, allying himself with Pyrrhus, the king of Epirus and temporarily the king of Macedon, in 273 BC, in the middle of the period of the Diadochi wars, during which the generals of Alexander the Great's armies clashed to grab his heritage. [...]
