Areus I

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Areus I (d.265 BC) was Agiad King of Sparta from 309 to 265 BC, who died in battle near Corinth during the Chremonidean War.

[edit] Military Success

In 272 BC Areus I successfully repelled Pyrrhus of Epirus from Laconia. . In 272 BC Pyrrhus of Epirus with 25,000 foot soldiers, 2,000 cavalry, and 24 elephants marched into Laconia on the false pretense of “set[ting] free the cities which were subject to Antigonus” and “to send his younger sons to Sparta, if nothing prevented, to be brought up in the Lacedaemonian customs.” While Areus was in Crete, Pyrrhus set siege to Sparta. The men and women of Sparta dug a trench around the city for defenses. After a day of fighting, the Spartans had held off Pyrrhus. By the end of the second day of fighting, Areus returned from Crete with 2,000 soldiers and aid from Corinth arrived.

[edit] References

Plutarch Lives: Pyrrhus xxvi - xxix

Preceded by Cleomenes II

Agiad King of Sparta 309–265 BC

Succeeded by Acrotatus II