a-ri'-us, a'-ri-us (Ares): The reading of the Vulgate (Jerome's Latin Bible, 390-405 A.D.) adopted in the Revised Version (British and American) for the former reading Areus and Areios of Josephus. A king of Sparta (309-265 BC) who wrote the letter to Onias, the high priest, given in 1 Macc 12:7,20-23. There were two Spartan kings named Arius, and three high priests named Onias. Chronology requires the letter mentioned to have been written by Arius I to Onias I, most probably in the interval between 309 and 300 BC.
⇒See also the McClintock and Strong Biblical Cyclopedia.
See LACEDAEMONIANS.