The Periplus appears in form of an Epiſtle from Arrian to the Emperor, giving him a geographical, or perhaps, to ſpeak more properly, a topographical ſketch, or ſurvey, of the coaſt of the Euxine ſea, proceeding Eaſtward from Trapezus, and returning to the ſame place by Byzantium from the Weſt; It is written in the Greek language, which was probably more familiar to himſelf than the Latin, and more agreeable to the Emperor, who was attached to the Greek language and [1] literature. He alludes however to Letters or Diſpatches in the [2] Latin language, which alone was uſed in properly official communications.
It is not unlikely that the Periplus was undertaken by command of the Emperor himſelf, and that it was executed when Arrian was Præfect of Cappadocia. Mr. Dodwell thinks that it was performed early in the reign of Hadrian, as one of the petty Kings of that country was advanced to the regal dignity by Trajan, Hadrian's predeceſſor, and was living at the time that the account of the Periplus was Written. This conjecture however is weakened by the conſideration, that Arrian mentions ſeveral other Kings of that country, who received their advancement from Hadrian himſelf.
The province of Cappadocia, which included Trapezus, from whence the expedition was fitted out, was well ſuited for ſuch a purpoſe, being probably under his juriſdiction, and as it furniſhed,by his own account, materials for ſhip-building, and other ſtores
