Envy of the Gods
A study of Alexander the Great’s eastern campaigns, his ambitions, and demise at the edge of empire.
Da Capo • 2004
About the book
For this book John Prevas traveled alone through Iran, Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan, tracing Alexander’s route across some of the most demanding and politically complex landscapes associated with the ancient world.
That fieldwork gives the book an unusual immediacy. Alexander’s later campaigns are not treated as distant legend, but as a tangible progression through terrain, politics, and ambition.
“There’s a lesson here for us. And Mr. Prevas’ conclusion sums it up. Alexander’s story ‘validates the axiom that power is a dangerous commodity that must be handled carefully by those who possess it.’”
New York Times