Acrotatus I was the son of Cleomenes II

Cleomenes II

Cleomenes II was Agiad King of Sparta from 369 to 309 BC. The son of Cleombrotus I, he succeeded his brother Agesipolis II. He was the father of Acrotatus I, the father of Areus I, and of Cleonymus, the father of Leonidas II....

, king of Sparta

Sparta

Sparta or Lacedaemon, was a prominent city-state in ancient Greece, situated on the banks of the River Eurotas in Laconia, in south-eastern Peloponnese. It emerged as a political entity around the 10th century BC, when the invading Dorians subjugated the local, non-Dorian population. From c...

. He incurred the displeasure of an influential group of Spartan citizens by opposing the decree which was to release from infamy all who had fled from the battle in which Antipater

Antipater

Antipater was a Macedonian general and a supporter of kings Philip II of Macedon and Alexander the Great. In 320 BC, he became Regent of all of Alexander's Empire. Antipater was one of the sons of a Macedonian nobleman called Iollas or Iolaus and his family were distant collateral relatives to the...

 defeated Agis

Agis III

Agis III , son of Archidamus III, was the 20th Eurypontid king of Sparta.He succeeded his father in 338 BC, on the very day of the battle of Chaeronea...

 in 331 BC

331 BC

Year 331 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Potitus and Marcellus...

. He was thus glad to accept the offer from the Agrigentines

Agrigento

Agrigento , is a city on the southern coast of Sicily, Italy, and capital of the province of Agrigento. It is renowned as the site of the ancient Greek city of Akragas , one of the leading cities of Magna Graecia during the golden...

 who had asked Sparta for assistance in 314 BC

314 BC

Year 314 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Libo and Longus...

 against Agathocles

Agathocles

Agathocles , , was tyrant of Syracuse and king of Sicily .-Biography:...

 of Syracuse.

Acrotatus first sailed to southern Italy where he obtained the support of Tarentum

Tarentum

Tarentum may refer to:* Taranto, Apulia, Italy; on the site of the ancient Roman city Tarentum; formerly the Greek colony Taras. See also: History of Taranto* Tarentum, Pennsylvania, United States** Tarentum Bridge, in the above place...

. However, after his arrival at Agrigentum

Agrigento

Agrigento , is a city on the southern coast of Sicily, Italy, and capital of the province of Agrigento. It is renowned as the site of the ancient Greek city of Akragas , one of the leading cities of Magna Graecia during the golden...

, he behaved with such cruelty and tyranny that the inhabitants rose against him and he was compelled to leave the city.

Acrotatus returned to Sparta where he died before his father, Cleomenes, who died in 309 BC

309 BC

Year 309 BC was a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Dictatorship of Cursor...

. Acrotatus left a son, Areus I

Areus I

Areus I was Agiad King of Sparta from 309 to 265 BC, who died in battle near Corinth during the Chremonidean War. He was the grandson of Cleomenes II and was succeeded by his son Acrotatus II.-Military Success:...

, who succeeded Cleomenes. Acrotatus' grandson, Acrotatus II, succeeded to the Spartan throne after Areus.