ARRIAN (FLAVIUS ARRIANUS), of Nicomedia in Bithynia, Greek historian and philosopher, was born about A.D. 96, and lived during the reigns of Hadrian, Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius. He was greatly esteemed by Hadrian, who appointed him governor (legatos) of Cappadocia (131-137), where he dis tinguished himself in a campaign against the Alani. This is the only instance before the 3rd century in which a first-rate Roman military command was given to a Greek. Arrian spent a consid erable portion of his time at Athens, where he was archon 147-148. In his declining years, he retired to his native place, where he devoted himself to literary work. He died about 180. His biog raphy, by Dio Cassius, is lost.
When young, Arrian was the pupil and friend of Epictetus. He took verbatim notes of his teacher's lectures, which he subse quently published under the title of The Dissertations (Ocarpc(3a0, in eight books, of which the first four are extant and constitute the chief authority for Stoic ethics, and The Encheiridion (i.e., Manual) of Epictetus, a handbook of moral philosophy; this was adapted for Christian use by St. Nilus of Constantinople (5th century), and Simplicius (about 55o) wrote a commentary on it which we still possess. The most important of Arrian's original works is his Anabasis of Alexander, containing the history of Alexander the Great from his accession to his death. Arrian's chief authorities were, as he tells us, Aristobulus of Cassandreia and Ptolemy, son of Lagus (afterwards king of Egypt), who both accompanied Alexander on his campaigns. Arrian's is the most complete and trustworthy account of Alexander that we possess. Other extant works of Arrian are : Indica, a description of India in the Ionic dialect, including the voyage of Nearchus, intended as a supplement to the Anabasis; Acies Contra Alanos, a fragment of importance for the knowledge of Roman military affairs; Periplus of the Euxine, an official account written (131) for the Emperor Hadrian ; Tactica, attributed by some to Aelianus, who wrote in the reign of Trajan; Cynegeticus, a treatise on the chase, supplementing that of Xenophon; the Periplus of the Erythraean Sea, attributed to him, is by a later compiler. Amongst his lost works may be mentioned : T d µET' 'AXEavhpov, a history of the period succeeding Alexander, of which an epitome is pre served in Photius; histories of Bithynia, the Alani and the Par thian wars under Trajan; the lives of Timoleon of Corinth, Dion of Syracuse and a famous brigand named Tilliborus.