Ariapeithes ( Scythian: Ariyapaiϑah; ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]} Ancient Greek: Αριαπειθης, romanized: Ariapeithēs) was a king of the Scythians in the early 5th century BCE. ^[5]

Name

Ariapeithes's name originates from the Scythian name *Ariyapaiϑah, and is composed of the terms *Ariya-, meaning “ Aryan” and “ Iranian,” and *paiϑah-, meaning “decoration” and “adornment.” ^{[1] [2] [3] [4]}

Life

Ariyapaiϑah had three wives, each of whom bore him one son: ^[6]

• an unnamed Greek woman from Istria, who became the mother of Skula
• an unnamed daughter of the Thracian king Tērēs I, who became the mother of Uxtamazatā
• a Scythian woman named Hupāyā ( Ancient Greek: Οποιη, romanized: Opoiē; Latin: Opoea), who became the mother of Varika ( Ancient Greek: Ορικος, romanized: Orikos; Latin: Oricus)

Death

Ariyapaiϑah was treacherously killed by Spargapaiϑah, the king of the Agathyrsi, ^[7] after which Skula became the king of the Scythians, and took his stepmother Hupāyā as one of his wives. ^[6]

References

Sources

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain:  Smith, William (1870). "Ariapeithes". In Smith, William (ed.). Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. Vol. 1. p. 284.