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This volume contains the Greek text Periplus Ponti Euxini, with a full introduction, commentary and facing-page translation. Arrian, the Roman senator, is known as a philosopher and the historian of Alexander. He also enjoyed a sucessful political and military career, and the friendship of Hadrian. Arrian's text mixes the literary forms of a friendly letter and the traditional Greek periplus, or coastal guide. It describes a tour of duty around the Black Sea undertaken in an official show more capacity as governor of the frontier province of Cappadocia, and contains important evidence for this crucial corner of the eastern frontier of the Empire. It also affords us an insight into the cultural and political background of the early second century, from a man well placed not only to understand, but also to promote the new common imperial culture being forged by the hellenophile Emperor. show lessTags
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Historian, philosopher, and general, Arrian was born into a wealthy Greek family in Nicomedia, in Asia Minor. He was a pupil and friend of the philosopher Epictetus, whose lectures he published at Athens. For six years, from 131 to 137, he served as governor of Cappadocia under the emperor Hadrian. It was during this time that he successfully show more drove back invading Alans. Arrian wrote several geographical and historical works, including the Indica, an account of a voyage to India. He is best known, however, as author of the Anabasis. A much praised and valuable account of the life of Alexander the Great, it is based on the writings of Ptolemy I and Aristobulus, two of Alexander's generals. He modeled the work on Anabasis of Xenophon. Arrian died at an advanced age during the reign of Marcus Aurelius. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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