[1] Ariarateia (Greek: Ἀριαράθεια; Roman: Ariarátheia) or Ariarátia (present-day Pınarbaşı in Kayseri, Turkey) was a Cappadocian city founded by Ariarate IV (r. 220–163 BC), in the region at the time known as Sargarausena.

In the 4th century, more precisely during the reign of Constantine (r. 306–337), the eastern portion of Cappadocia was separated to form Lesser Armenia.

Near the neighbourhood of Melikgazi are the ruins of Tzamandos, a Byzantine border fortress town built by the famous Armenian general Melias around the year 909/910.

[7][8] In 1065, the town was given among other lands in the region to the last Bagratuni King Gagik II as exchange for him renouncing the Kingdom of Armenia.

The community includes Circassians, Afshars and Alevi Kurds, as well as Turks from nearby communities such as Gürün, Darende and Afşin, alongside Turkish refugees, including Muhacirs who fled Kars during the 1877–1878 Russo-Turkish War and Turkish migrants from Bulgaria who arrived during the population exchange between Greece and Turkey.