Flavius Arrianus, b. unknown, d. c.
180.
Greek historian and philospher. Principal historical work
Anabasis describes the campaigns of
Alexander the Great in seven books.
In
philosophy, he is primarily known as the only source of the teachings of
Epictetus whose pupil he was and author of the works
Encheiridion and
Diatribai based on careful notes taken from Epictetus' lectures. The
Encheiridion is a manual of
stoic philosophy as propounded by Epictetus. The
Diatribai, generally translated as
Discourses of which four books survive, holds roughly the same relationship to Epictetus' teachings as
Platos dialogues do to those of Socrates, except that they are soliloquies.
He served as governor of
Cappadocia under
Hadrian and was
Archon at Athens in
171.