The codices produced by him, containing his commentaries are credited with preserving many ancient texts, including those of Plato and Marcus Aurelius' "Meditations".

[3] He was deeply involved in court politics and was a principal actor in the controversy over the scandal created when Emperor Leo VI attempted to marry a fourth time after his first three wives had died and left him without an heir.

When recounting the details of the scandal, Jenkins described Arethas as "...narrow-minded, bad-hearted... morbidly ambitious and absolutely unscrupulous..."[5] He was the compiler of a Greek commentary (scholia) on the Apocalypse, for which he made considerable use of the similar work of his predecessor, Andrew of Caesarea.

Karl Krumbacher emphasises his fondness for ancient classical Greek literature and the original sources of Christian theology.

[13] Arethas admits to holding the work in high regard in letters to the Byzantine emperor Leo VI the Wise and in his comments to Lucian and Dio Chrysostom'.