Ariantas (Scythian: Ariyā̆nta;[1] Ancient Greek: Αριαντας, romanized: Ariantas; Latin: Ariantas) was a king of the Scythians, 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 in Herodotus.[4]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William (1870). "Ariantas". In Smith, William (ed.). Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Vol. 1. p. 283.