GEOGRAPHER

Life
Arrian studied with Epictetus in the city of Nicopolis, in Epirus. He later went to Athens, where he met the Emperor Hadrian, who commissioned him to inspect the Roman garrisons on the south coast of the Black Sea, from Trebizond to Dioscurias (Sebastopol). He explored the eastern shores of the Caspian Sea (130-137 AD) and, again by order of the emperor, the Roman colonies of Pannonia, Numidia, Gaul and Noricum. He served as governor of Cappadocia from 130-137, before settling in Athens. He was frequently referred to as the "new Xenophon", and is cited by Stobaeus.


Work
His principal works are:

"Anabasis of Alexander": 7 books. In this work he made use of the memoirs of Ptolemy Lagus and Aristobulus of Cassandreia, who were contemporaries of Alexander the Great. It contains, among other things, valuable geographical information about the countries conquered by Alexander. Extant.

"Circuit of the Euxinus Pontus": Written in 131 AD, this work is a treasure-house of information about the countries he visited and their inhabitants. Extant.

"On India": Geography of the Indies. Based on the works of Megasthenes and Nearchus.

"On Bithynia"

"On Parthia"

"Art of Tactics": Treatise on military strategy. Extant.

"Oasis of Siwa" (Egypt): Description of the oasis where, according to Diogenes Laertius, Alexander the Great is buried.