ARIA, and Ariana, in Ancient Geography, whether the same or distinct countries authors are not agreed. Ptolemy has only Aria, and knows nothing about Ariana. Pliny mentions only Ariana, and says nothing about Aria; but distinguishes between the Arii and Ariani: Parthia, he says, has the Arii to the east, Caramania and the Ariani to the south; from which it is conjectured, the Ariani extended farther than the Arii, and comprised the Gedrosii and the Drangæ. Arrian has only Aria and Arii, and is silent about Ariana. But Strabo gives more extensive bounds to Ariana than to Aria, without particularly defining them; only in general he says, that Ariana begins from India, and quotes Eratosthenes; according to whom, Ariana
is bounded by the Indus on the east; on the south by the Great sea; by Paropamisus on the north, and by the mountains, quite to Portæ Caspiæ; on the west by the same boundaries by which Parthia is separated from Media, Caramania from Paræcene and Persia; and thus Ariana is extremely extensive.—Aria has its limits thus described by Ptolemy: On the north, some parts of Margiana and Bactriana; on the east, the Paropamisus; on the south the Drangiana; and Strabo says, the Arii adjoin to the Paropamisus on the west.