Notes on Arrian’s preface to the Anabasis

Abstract

Arrian’s preface to the Anabasis is ‘an honourable exception’ in the ancient historiography, since in the first few lines of his history of Alexander, the Nicomedian historian openly gives his sources and reveals his methods of his source-criticism for the reader. Nevertheless, the opening of the Anabasis is noteworthy not only because it is an honourable exception, but it provides for modern readers some important information about the nature of ancient historiography. It points out how historiographical traditions might have influenced the historian’s approach while he was selecting his sources.