Arrian of Nicomedia (c. 86/89 – c. after 146/160 AD;/ˈæriən/; Latin: Lucius Flavius Arrianus; Greek Αρριανός Arrianós) was born in Greece, and a historian, public servant, military commander and philosopher of the Roman period.

The Anabasis of Alexander by Arrian is considered the best source on the campaigns of Alexander the Great.

Arrian's life

Arrian was born in Nicomedia (present-day Izmit), the provincial capital of Bithynia, Dio called him Flavius Arrianus Nicomediansis. In respect to his birth date, sources provide similar dates for his birth; within a few years prior to 90, 89, and 85 - 90 AD. The line of reasoning for dates belonging to 85-90 AD is from the fact of Arrian being made a consul around 130 AD, and the usual age for this, during this period, being forty-two years of age. (ref. p. 312, & SYME 1958, same page).His family was from the provincial aristocracy of Greek stock, and his full name, L. Flavius Arrianus, indicates that he was a Roman citizen, suggesting that the citizenship went back several generations, probably to the time of the Roman conquest some 170 years before.