But Alexander wasn't just concerned by Persia and the East, he was also impressed with it. I have to imagine Italy was only barely more interesting to him than

But Alexander wasn't just concerned by Persia and the East, he was also impressed with it. I have to imagine Italy was only barely more interesting to him than the Balkans. By contrast, places in the East, like Mesopotamia and Egypt, were as ancient and storied to him as he is to us.