Anabasis of Alexander

The Anabasis of Alexander (Ancient Greek: Ἀλεξάνδρου Ἀνάβασις, Alexándrou Anábasis; Latin: Anabasis Alexandri) was composed by Arrian of Nicomedia in the second century AD, most probably during the reign of Hadrian. The Anabasis (which survives complete in seven books) is a history of the campaigns of Alexander the Great, specifically his conquest of the Persian Empire between 336 and 323 BC.

The Anabasis is by far the fullest surviving account of Alexander's conquest of the Persian Empire. It is primarily a military history, reflecting the content of Arrian's model, Xenophon's Anabasis; the work begins with Alexander's accession to the Macedonian throne in 336 BC, and has nothing to say about Alexander's early life (in contrast, say, to Plutarch's Life of Alexander). Nor does Arrian aim to provide a complete history of the Greek-speaking world during Alexander's reign.

Both the unusual title "Anabasis" (literally "a journey up-country from the sea") and the work's seven-book structure reflect Arrian's emulation (in structure, style, and content) of the Greek historian Xenophon, whose own Anabasis in seven books concerned the earlier campaign "up-country" of Cyrus the Younger in 401 BC.

Arrian's Anabasis is our most complete account of Alexander's campaigns. Arrian writes his own anabasis roughly 400 years after the campaigns of Alexander occurred. As such, he relies on several participants in the campaigns as primary sources for his writings. His main sources for his own writing are Ptolemy and Aristobulus.

Arrian relies on the lost contemporary histories of Alexander's campaign by Ptolemy and Aristobulus and, for his later books, Nearchus. One of Arrian's main aims in writing his history seems to have been to correct the standard "Vulgate" narrative of Alexander's reign that was current in his own day, primarily associated with the lost writings of the historian Cleitarchus.

Ptolemy was a general within the army and would later become a king in his own right, establishing the Ptolemaic dynasty in Egypt. Ptolemy’s writings are thought to have exaggerated his own role within the campaign. He also actively excluded detailing the successes of his rivals, following the death of Alexander. Ptolemy also reconfigured his closeness to Alexander alluding that they were half-brothers, which we know is not the case. This was likely to boost his status, potentially leading him to his monarchical position.

Aristobulus is thought to have been a military engineer or some other non-fighting member of the army. His writings are seemingly more favorable towards Alexander. When compared between multiple sources he always seems to be the kindest towards the King.

The Anabasis gives a broadly chronological account of the reign of Alexander the Great of Macedon (336–323 BC), with a particular focus on military matters. After a short Preface concerning Arrian's sources, the seven books describe the reign of Alexander the Great.