Arrian

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Greek historian and philosopher of the second century who wrote an account of Alexander the Great's campaigns
2. Second-century Greek writer and philosopher best known for his history of Alexander the Great
3. A Roman-era Greek scholar, historian and student of Epictetus, remembered for chronicling the conquests of Alexander

Etymology: Arrian, known in Latin as Flavius Arrianus, was a Greek-speaking writer from Nicomedia in Bithynia, in what is now northwestern Turkey, who lived roughly from the 80s to the 160s CE. He held Roman public office and was a pupil of the Stoic philosopher Epictetus, whose lectures he recorded. His best-known work is the "Anabasis of Alexander", an account of Alexander the Great's campaigns that draws heavily on earlier eyewitness histories, particularly those of Ptolemy and Aristobulus. He also wrote the "Indica", a short description of India, and a study of the Black Sea coast. Most of his writing survives, which makes him one of the main sources for Alexander's reign.