Known primarily as the historian of Alexander the Great, Arrian was born in Nicomdia in Vithynia, Arrian was a pupil of the Stoic philosopher Epiktetos, whose teachings had a profound effect upon him.
Among his contemporaries he was known less as an historian,, however, than as a philosopher, his role model Xenophon, from whom he took some of his titles for his own works.
The greatest of his works is 'Anabasis Alexandrou', which not only documents Alexanders's campaign in Asia, but about all the events of that leader's life from the time of his ascent to the Macedonian throne.
He also wrote a book about hunting, and two books dealing with geography.