SPARTANS. – Readers are surprised to find in the Books of the *Maccabees* that the Jews and the S. considered themselves “brothers.” In *1 Macc.* 5:9 there is only a passing reference to a friendly relationship, whereas in *1 Macc.* 12:1–23 and 14:20–23 there is mention of a genuine alliance concluded by Jonathan (v.) SIMONE (v.). On the occasion of concluding the alliance, the author not only reports Jonathan’s letter (12:6–18) but also an older and curious document, namely the letter of King Areus to the high priest Onias (12:19–23). In this document it is stated that the S. had learned from a “writing” that they were “brothers” of the Jews as descendants of Abraham; hence Areus proposes a kind of community of goods. In his letter, Jonathan expressly refers to this document, gives a brief account of events, requests the renewal of this brotherhood—which the Jews had never abandoned—and presents the ambassadors sent to Rome to renew the alliance.
The singularity of these texts has raised a major problem in historical criticism. Some, in order to mitigate the difficulty, have spoken of S. in Asia Minor (Hitzig) or in Cyrene (Büchler); others (Kautzsch, Wilamowitz-Moellendorf, Willrich) reject as forged all these documents or at least part of them. A. Momigliano accepts what concerns the alliance promoted by Jonathan, while Bickermann limits himself to rejecting the letter of Areus, which raises the greatest doubts.
Those who recognize the authenticity of the documents identify King Areus (130–26 BC) as the correspondent of the high priest Onias I. Various ingenious hypotheses have been proposed to explain the “kinship.” It may have been a simple legend that arose in Jewish colonies, in Sparta or in some Hellenistic city. The mention in the Bible does not confer any particular authority on it; it rests solely on the faith of Areus. The proposed community of goods may perhaps be understood as an emphatic expression to emphasize the spirit of friendship. The letter of Areus was probably suggested, in addition to a certain affinity between the two peoples, by practical motives that now escape us. Jonathan’s letter is easily explained by his policy of seeking alliances and diplomatic support. The existence of the Areus document, and the importance still enjoyed by the free city of Sparta, explain his gesture.
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