Books set in desserts of Africa/Egypt etc. with the physical setting of The Alchemist, Proximo’s time in the desert in Gladiator(2000)

Hi, I'm looking for a book set in the deserts of Africa, Egypt etc. The life of the narrator in The Alchemist was super interesting. Similarly, the subplot in Gladiator where Proximo goes around the country picking up gladiators, and he finds out the Numidian in the desert. Now imagine a book that was based around the life of the Numidian.

Thanks!