was preferred to the highest
posts of honour, and even to the consulship. In the year A.D. 170, he was
appointed governor of Pontus, by Adrian, for the special purpose of
opposing the Alani, who were invading that part of the empire. His
situation and opportunities as governor, enabled him to derive the most
accurate and particular information respecting the Euxine Sea, which he
addressed in a letter to Adrian; this Periplus, as it is called, "contains
whatever the governor of Pontus had seen, from Trebizond to Dioscurias;
whatever he had heard from Dioscurias to the Danube and whatever he knew
from the Danube to Trebizond."

The letter begins with the arrival of Arrian at Trebizond, at which place,
the artificial port already noticed was then forming. At Trebizond he
embarked, and surveyed the eastern coast of the Euxine Sea, visiting every
where the Roman garrisons. His course led him past the mouth of the Phasis,
the waters of which, he remarks, floated a long time on those of the sea,
by reason of their superior lightness. A strong garrison was stationed at
the mouth of this river, to protect this part of the country against the
Barbarians; he adds, however, in his letter, that the new suburbs which had
been built by the merchants and veterans, required some additional defence,
and that he had, accordingly, for the greater security of the place,
strengthened it with a new ditch: he ended his voyage at Sebastapolis, the
most distant city garrisoned by the Romans. The description of the coasts
of Asia, from Byzantium to Trebizond, and another of the interior, from
Sebastapolis to the Bosphorus Cimmerius, and thence to Byzantium, is added
to his voyage. The great object of this minute and accurate survey was to
enable the emperor to take what measures he might deem proper, in case he
designed to interfere in the affairs of the Bosphorus, as well as to point
out the means of defence against the Alani, and other enemies of the Roman
power.

We have contented ourselves with this short abstract of the Periplus of the
Euxine, because we have already given all the important information it
contains on the subject of the commerce of this sea. It is very inferior in
merit to the Periplus of the Euxine, which has also been attributed to this
Arrian, though Dr. Vincent, we think, has proved that it is the work of an
earlier writer, and of a merchant.

As the Roman conquests extended, their geographical knowledge of course
incr