---
product_id: 19813868
title: "Into the Land of Bones: Alexander the Great in Afghanistan (Volume 47)"
price: "€ 73.18"
currency: EUR
in_stock: true
reviews_count: 7
url: https://www.desertcart.com.cy/products/19813868-into-the-land-of-bones-alexander-the-great-in-afghanistan
store_origin: CY
region: Cyprus
---

# Into the Land of Bones: Alexander the Great in Afghanistan (Volume 47)

**Price:** € 73.18
**Availability:** ✅ In Stock

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** Into the Land of Bones: Alexander the Great in Afghanistan (Volume 47)
- **How much does it cost?** € 73.18 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.com.cy](https://www.desertcart.com.cy/products/19813868-into-the-land-of-bones-alexander-the-great-in-afghanistan)

## Best For

- Customers looking for quality international products

## Why This Product

- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Description

Into the Land of Bones: Alexander the Great in Afghanistan (Volume 47) [Holt, Frank L.] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Into the Land of Bones: Alexander the Great in Afghanistan (Volume 47)

Review: Alexander in Afghanistan: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. - This was a fascinating look at Alexander’s incursion into Bactria what is now mainly modern Afghanistan. Holt not only examines Alexander’s campaign in great detail, but compares and contrasts it with three other major forays into the are by the British Empire, Soviet Union and the USA. Holt takes great pains to document his work. A number of times I stumbled across things I had never heard about before and when I checked the associated end note, the works cited were top notch. The author is very fair in his handling of Alexander praising him for his ingenuity and creativity in the unfamiliar realm of guerrilla warfare but he also boldly and plainly states the brutal and tragic actions take under the Macedonian kings orders. Where appropriate, Holt brings in descriptions of actions taken by the other three foreign powers to compare their attempts to solve the same problems that confronted Alexander. In doing so, Holt never gets bogged down while connecting these more modern examples, keeping to the point in a pithy yet effective manner. He is also quick to point out the how and why of others failures where Alexander succeeded. The book also covers some of the Hellenistic Age and there is a lengthy discussion of Numismatics and what these studies have contributed to our understanding of ancient Afghanistan. There is also a survey of major archaeological finds and the work concludes with a discussion of the extant ancient sources covering the life of Alexander the Great. This book was both fascinating and incredibly enlightening. There are many new things for me to ponder and having gained a greater knowledge of Alexander’s campaigns in Bactria and Sogdiana, I have come away with a greater appreciation of the challenges one would face in trying to design a wargame about this part of Alexander’s campaigns.
Review: Amazing book that should be required reading in West Point, Congress, the State Department and The White House - "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it," is a quite often said, but seldom understood. This is one of the rare books that lays in painful detail the lessons that were not learned from the many attempts to conquer and subjugate the land we know today as Afghanistan, but antiquity knew as Bactria. The powerful's attempt to conquer this rebellious land did not start or end with the Soviets or even the British. Holt reminds us that the land we know as Afghanistan has had a host of would be foreign rulers and it has been a quagmire ever since the dawn of written history. Even though Alexander's campaigns in Bactria was over 2,300 years ago, it offers invaluable lessons to us today. Written in 2004, a couple of years after our intervention, it reads like a book of prophecy of the host of difficulties we would experience. Although things in that region appeared quiet for a few years, Holt saw that difficulties would eventually emerge, and he was right. For the sake of national policy and security, Holt's book should be read by all those who have a stake in America's military, political and international relations policies. Afghanistan doesn't have to be the grave yard of great powers, and Alexander the Great eventually pacified this region. Holt reminds us there is much we can learn from Alexander's success and failures in Bactria and that there are modern day lessons for today's leaders even in the dusty experiences of antiquity.

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #983,800 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #564 in Ancient Greek History (Books) #4,570 in Asian History (Books) #13,059 in Military History (Books) |
| Customer Reviews | 4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars (63) |
| Dimensions  | 5.5 x 0.66 x 8.25 inches |
| Edition  | First Edition, With a New Preface |
| ISBN-10  | 0520274326 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-0520274327 |
| Item Weight  | 7.2 ounces |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 264 pages |
| Publication date  | October 3, 2012 |
| Publisher  | University of California Press |

## Images

![Into the Land of Bones: Alexander the Great in Afghanistan (Volume 47) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61x12UZTmxL.jpg)

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Alexander in Afghanistan: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.
*by T***E on October 22, 2021*

This was a fascinating look at Alexander’s incursion into Bactria what is now mainly modern Afghanistan. Holt not only examines Alexander’s campaign in great detail, but compares and contrasts it with three other major forays into the are by the British Empire, Soviet Union and the USA. Holt takes great pains to document his work. A number of times I stumbled across things I had never heard about before and when I checked the associated end note, the works cited were top notch. The author is very fair in his handling of Alexander praising him for his ingenuity and creativity in the unfamiliar realm of guerrilla warfare but he also boldly and plainly states the brutal and tragic actions take under the Macedonian kings orders. Where appropriate, Holt brings in descriptions of actions taken by the other three foreign powers to compare their attempts to solve the same problems that confronted Alexander. In doing so, Holt never gets bogged down while connecting these more modern examples, keeping to the point in a pithy yet effective manner. He is also quick to point out the how and why of others failures where Alexander succeeded. The book also covers some of the Hellenistic Age and there is a lengthy discussion of Numismatics and what these studies have contributed to our understanding of ancient Afghanistan. There is also a survey of major archaeological finds and the work concludes with a discussion of the extant ancient sources covering the life of Alexander the Great. This book was both fascinating and incredibly enlightening. There are many new things for me to ponder and having gained a greater knowledge of Alexander’s campaigns in Bactria and Sogdiana, I have come away with a greater appreciation of the challenges one would face in trying to design a wargame about this part of Alexander’s campaigns.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Amazing book that should be required reading in West Point, Congress, the State Department and The White House
*by E***M on January 30, 2012*

"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it," is a quite often said, but seldom understood. This is one of the rare books that lays in painful detail the lessons that were not learned from the many attempts to conquer and subjugate the land we know today as Afghanistan, but antiquity knew as Bactria. The powerful's attempt to conquer this rebellious land did not start or end with the Soviets or even the British. Holt reminds us that the land we know as Afghanistan has had a host of would be foreign rulers and it has been a quagmire ever since the dawn of written history. Even though Alexander's campaigns in Bactria was over 2,300 years ago, it offers invaluable lessons to us today. Written in 2004, a couple of years after our intervention, it reads like a book of prophecy of the host of difficulties we would experience. Although things in that region appeared quiet for a few years, Holt saw that difficulties would eventually emerge, and he was right. For the sake of national policy and security, Holt's book should be read by all those who have a stake in America's military, political and international relations policies. Afghanistan doesn't have to be the grave yard of great powers, and Alexander the Great eventually pacified this region. Holt reminds us there is much we can learn from Alexander's success and failures in Bactria and that there are modern day lessons for today's leaders even in the dusty experiences of antiquity.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good book About Alexander in Afghanistan
*by V***. on September 9, 2024*

This is a pretty good book that deals with a very specific part of Alexander the Great's conquest. I believe it was written before this edition and they revised it to make it applicable to the 19th, 20th, and 21st century wars there with the British, Russians, and Americans. I actually served in Afghanistan in America's war. There were some interesting points, but none of it was necessary other than to sell more copies of the book. The ancient history was good, but sparse, and there are many better books about Alexander the Great. If you love this history as I do, it is a book worth reading. Otherwise, stick with the usual biographies of Alexander that deal with his entire career (and include Afghanistan). I almost gave this one three stars, but I think it does deserve four.

---

## Why Shop on Desertcart?

- 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016
- 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories
- 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price
- 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members)
- 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection
- ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews

**Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.com.cy/products/19813868-into-the-land-of-bones-alexander-the-great-in-afghanistan](https://www.desertcart.com.cy/products/19813868-into-the-land-of-bones-alexander-the-great-in-afghanistan)

---

*Product available on Desertcart Cyprus*
*Store origin: CY*
*Last updated: 2026-03-16*