  Single crystals of BaRh_2As_2 have been synthesized from a Pb flux. We
present the room temperature crystal structure, single crystal x-ray
diffraction measurements as a function of temperature T, anisotropic magnetic
susceptibility \chi versus T, electrical resistivity in the ab-plane \rho
versus T, Hall coefficient versus T and magnetic field H, and heat capacity C
versus T measurements on the crystals. The single crystal structure
determination confirms that BaRh_2As_2 forms in the tetragonal ThCr_2Si_2 type
structure (space group I4/mmm) with lattice parameters a = b = 4.0564(6)\AA and
c = 12.797(4) \AA. Band structure calculations show that BaRh_2As_2 should be
metallic with a small density of states at the Fermi energy N(E_ F) = 3.49
states/eV f.u. (where f.u. \equiv formula unit) for both spin directions.
\rho(T) data in the ab-plane confirm that the material is indeed metallic with
a residual resistivity \rho(2K) = 29 \mu \Omega cm, and with a residual
resistivity ratio \rho(310K)/\rho(2K) = 5.3. The observed \chi(T) is small
(\sim 10^{-5} cm^3/mol) and weakly anisotropic with \chi_{ab}/\chi_ c \approx
2. The C(T) data indicate a small density of states at the Fermi energy with
the low temperature Sommerfeld coefficient \gamma = 4.7(9) mJ/mol K^2. There
are no indications of superconductivity, spin density wave, or structural
transitions between 2K and 300K. We compare the calculated density of states
versus energy of BaRh_2As_2 with that of BaFe_2As_2.
