ARABIS
ARABIS (
Ἄραβις,
Ptol. 6.19.2), a river of Gedrosia, which flowed from the Montes Baeti (
Washati), through the country of the Arabii, to the Indian Ocean.
It is now called the
Purali. The names of this river and of the people who lived on its banks are variously written by ancient authors. Thus, Arabius (
Ἀράβιος, Arrian,
Arr. Anab. 6.21), Artabis (
Ἄρταβις, Marcian), Artabius (
Amm. Marc. 23.6).
The people are called Arabitae (
Ἀραβίται), Arbii (
Plin. Nat. 6.24), Arabies (
Ἀράβιες, Arrian,
Ind. 21, 22), Arbies (
Ἀρβίες, Strab. xv. p.720), Aribes (
Ἄριβες, Dion. Perieg. 1096), Arbiti (
Ἄρβιτοι, Marcian). From this people the Arbiti Montes (
Ἄρβιτα ῎ορη, Ptol. 6.21.3,
7.1.28; called Barbitani by
Amm. Marc. 23.6) appear to have derived their name. Ptolemy has mistaken the course of this river when he makes it flow N. of Drangiana and Gedrosia, and has apparently confounded it with the Etymander (
Helmend); and Pliny has placed it too far to the W. on the edge of Carmania (
Kirman), whereas it really divides Saranga (
τὰ Σάραγγα) from the Oritae (
Ὠρεῖται). Marcian and Ptolemy (
6.21.5,
8.25.14.), speak of a town in Gedrosia called Arbis. Pliny says (6.23) that it was founded by Nearchus.
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