This decree grants privileges to Areus II, king of Sparta, the son of king Akrotatos II. Areus became king after his father was defeated and killed by Aristodemos, tyrant of Megalopolis ( Plut:Agis_3'5 ), but he did not survive for long; he died when he was just eight years old ( Paus.3.6'6 ).
Most standard textbooks state that Areus died in about 254 B.C.; this assumes that the death of Akrotatos was connected with the Chremonidean war, which went on until 262/1 B.C., and that Areus was born about the time of his father's death. But in fact the death of Akrotatos is not dated explicitly by any of the ancient accounts, and it could have occurred any time down to 252 B.C. ( see J.L.O'Neil in "Ptolemy II Philadelphus and his World", p.83 - Google Books ). The lower date assigned here to the archon Emmenidas at Delphi ( see table of archons ) would imply that Areus was not born until at least 260 B.C., after the end of the Chremonidean War.
Gods. The Delphians granted to king Areus, son of king Akrotatos and queen Chilonis, both to himself and to his descendants, proxeny, priority in consulting the oracle, privileged seating at games, priority in receiving justice, inviolability, and the status of benefactor. When the archon was Emmenidas, and the members of the council were . . .
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