def get_arctic_version(self, symbol, as_of=None):
        """
        Return the numerical representation of the arctic version used to write the last (or as_of) version for
        the given symbol.

        Parameters
        ----------
        symbol : `str`
            symbol name for the item
        as_of : `str` or int or `datetime.datetime`
            Return the data as it was as_of the point in time.
            `int` : specific version number
            `str` : snapshot name which contains the version
            `datetime.datetime` : the version of the data that existed as_of the requested point in time

        Returns
        -------
        arctic_version : int
            The numerical representation of Arctic version, used to create the specified symbol version
        """
        return self._read_metadata(symbol, as_of=as_of).get('arctic_version', 0)
Return the numerical representation of the arctic version used to write the last (or as_of) version for
        the given symbol.

        Parameters
        ----------
        symbol : `str`
            symbol name for the item
        as_of : `str` or int or `datetime.datetime`
            Return the data as it was as_of the point in time.
            `int` : specific version number
            `str` : snapshot name which contains the version
            `datetime.datetime` : the version of the data that existed as_of the requested point in time

        Returns
        -------
        arctic_version : int
            The numerical representation of Arctic version, used to create the specified symbol version