Ariantas (Scythian:*Ariyā̆nta;[1]Ancient Greek:Άριάντας,romanized: Ariantás;Latin:Ariantas) was a king of theScythians, who, in order to learn the population of his people, commanded every Scythian to bring him one arrow-head. With these arrow-heads he made an enormous brazen or copper vessel,[2] which was set up in a place called "Exampaeus", between the rivers Borysthenes and Hypanis. This was important because the total number of Scythians had always been difficult to determine, because of their nomadic behaviors.[3]
We know of Ariantas only from one single passage inHerodotus.[4]
^Schmitt, Rüdiger (2003)."Die skythischen Personennamen bei Herodot" [Scythian Personal Names in Herodotus](PDF).Annali dell'Università degli Studi di Napoli l'Orientale [Annals of the University of Naples "L'Orientale"] (in German).63:1–31.
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Smith, William (1870)."Ariantas". InSmith, William (ed.).Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Vol. 1. p. 283.