or Argyroaspides, in Antiquity, persons armed with silver bucklers, or bucklers silvered.

ARIADNÆA, in Grecian Antiquity, two festivals at Naxos, in honour of two women named Ariadne. One of them being the daughter of King Minos, they had, in the solemnity dedicated to her, a show of sorrow and mourning; and, in memory of her being left by Theseus near the time of child-birth, it was usual for a young man to lie down and counterfeit all the agonies of a woman in labour. This festival is said to have been first instituted by Theseus, to atone for his ingratitude to that princess.—The other Ariadne was thought to be of a gay and sprightly temper, and therefore her festival was observed with music and other expressions of mirth and joy.