The ancient city was important enough to become a bishopric in the late Roman provinceofCappadocia Prima (civil Diocese of Pontus), in the sway of the Patriarchate of Constantinople, but would fade completely, plausibly at the advent of Islam. Neither its precise location is known, nor any residential bishop.
It has been confused in sources with the sees of Arad in Jordan (Holy Land) and Aradus in Syria (Phoenicia).
The diocese was nominally restored as Latin Catholic titular bishopric no later than 1755 under the names Arathia / Arata (Curiate Italian) / Arath / Aratia (Latin) / Arathen(sis) / Arathien(sis) (Latin adjective).
It has been vacant since 1853 (effectively suppressed?), having had the following incumbents, all of the fitting Episcopal (lowest) rank :
Richard Lincoln (1755.11.21 – 1757.06.21) as Coadjutor ArchbishopofDublin (Ireland) (1755.11.21 – 1757.06.21), later succeeded as Metropolitan Archbishop of Dublin (Ireland) (1757.06.21 – death 1763)
Andrzej Chołoniewski (1804.08.20 – 1819) as Auxiliary Bishop of Diocese of Vilnius (Lithuania) (1804.08.20 – death 1819)
Józef Marceli Dzięcielski (1819.12.17 – 1825.12.21) as Auxiliary Bishop of Diocese of Kujawy–Kaliska (Poland) (1819.12.17 – 1825.12.21); later Bishop of Lublin (Poland) (1825.12.21 – death 1839.02.14)
Francis Patrick Kenrick (1830.02.25 – 1842.04.22) as Coadjutor BishopofPennsylvania, Philadelphia (USA) (1830.02.25 – 1842.04.22); later succeeded as Bishop of Philadelphia (1842.04.22 – 1851.08.19), Metropolitan Archbishop of Baltimore (Maryland, USA) (1851.08.19 – death 1863.07.08)
Alexandre-Antonin Taché, Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate (O.M.I.) (1850.06.12 – 1853.06.07) as Coadjutor Bishop of Saint-Boniface (Canada) (1850.06.12 – 1853.06.07); later succeeded as last suffragan Bishop of Saint-Boniface (Canada) (1853.06.07 – 1871.09.22), promoted first Metropolitan Archbishop of Saint-Boniface (1871.09.22 – death 1894.06.22).
