Polydoros was a young Yaunan (under the age of 30) from a banking family in the seaport town of Peiraieus. He was recommended to Mithredath by Hermippos, the ganzabara of the Yauna province since he knew both Aramaic and Greek. He knew how to read and write the latter since the inland towns still did business in the old language. When they first meet, Polydoros asked Mithredath if he intended to travel each day to the ruins of Athens or to camp there. On learning it was a two hour walk, Mithredath decided to camp since too much of the day would otherwise be taken up with travel.