A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology

(Ἀππιανός), a native of Alexandria, lived at Rome during the reigns of Trajan, Hadrian, and Antoninus Pius, as we gather from various passages in his work. We have hardly any particulars of his life, for his autobiography, to which he refers at the end of the preface to his history, is now lost. In the same passage he mentions, that he was a man of considerable distinction at Alexandria, and afterwards removed to Rome, where he was engaged in pleading causes in the courts of the emperors. He further states, that the emperors considered him worthy to be entrusted with the management of their affairs (μέχρι με σφῶν ἐπιτροπεύειν ἠξίωσαν); which Schweighäuser and others interpret to mean, that he was appointed to the office of procurator or praefectus of Egypt. There is, however, no reason for this supposition. We know, from a letter of Fronto, that it was the office of procurator which he held (Fronto, Ep. ad Anton. Pium, 9, p. 13, &c., ed. Niebuhr); but whether he had the management of the emperors' finances at Rome, or went to some province in this capacity, is quite uncertain.