Areus I was Agiad King of Sparta from 309 to 265 BC. His reign is noted for his attempts to transform Sparta into an Hellenistic kingdom and to recover its former pre-eminence in Greece, notably against the kings Antigonos Gonatas of Macedonia and Pyrrhus of Epirus.
Tetradrachm of Areus, minted c. 265 BC. The first Spartan coin.
Aerial view of the Acrocorinth fortress, with the Corinthian Gulf in the background. The fortifications date from the Venetian occupation of the area.
Obol of Areus, minted c. 265 BC. The obverse features the head of Herakles, while there are a club and the stars of the Dioscuri on the reverse. All symbols allude to the ancestry of the Spartan kings.
The ancient theatre of Sparta, possibly built under Areus.
Antigonus II Gonatas was a Macedonian Greek ruler who solidified the position of the Antigonid dynasty in Macedon after a long period defined by anarchy and chaos and acquired fame for his victory over the Gauls who had invaded the Balkans.
Coin of Antigonus Gonatas
Antigonus II Gonatas and his mother Phila, detail of a fresco of the Villa Fannius, c. 40 BC, Archaeological Museum of Naples.
Coin of Antigonus II Gonatas. The Greek inscription reads "ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ ΑΝΤΙΓΟΝΟΥ" meaning "of king Antigonus".
northern border at 240 bc
