Battle of Hydaspes

Back in 326 B.C., when Alexander the Great was on his mission of triumph in Asia, the great Battle of Hydaspes was fought between him and King Porus, who used to rule over the tracts between rivers Hydaspes (Jhelum). Although Porus ended up losing the battle, his courage impressed Alexander the Great so much that the latter reinstated him as a subordinate ruler and allowed him to rule the south-east, stretching out until the Hyphasis (Beas).

The Battle of Hydaspes played a crucial part in history as it decided the fate of the region of Punjab at that time.

Cause of the Battle of Hydaspes

Alexander dreamt of ruling the world and was very close to achieving that dream. He established the largest empire in the world with his unmatched military skills, and after conquering the Persian Empire, he focused on probing into Northern India.

As Alexander was walking through India, King Porus flanked him. Alexander knew that he couldn't leave this risky adversary stowing away in the wilderness of India and ready for a conflict. So Alexander set up his camp close to the right bank of the river Jhelum. Porus drew upon the south bank of the Jhelum River to deter Alexander from it.

Both sides realized that an immediate intersection of the river would cost them the conflict.

Events of the Battle of Hydaspes

The battlefield of this remarkable war was the east bank of the Hydaspes River (also known as Jhelum, a tributary of the Indus River). Alexander isolated his military, leaving a little power with Craterus confronting Porus on the portage while taking the vast majority of the military to cross a second passage 17 miles (27 km) away.

When Porus discovered that Alexander had progressed over the stream, he proceeded to assault. Porus exerted his mounted force on the flanks and infantry in the middle, with the elephants in front. Alexander posted his weighty infantry in a phalanx in the middle, drove the traditionally mounted force himself, and sent the left-wing rangers under Coenus on a wide, defeating ride behind a slope.

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In the middle, the Macedonian phalanx was nearly broken by the charging elephants; however, in the end, they drove them off just to confront the Indian infantry. Alexander went after on the right yet neglected to track down a hole to take advantage of with his horsemen.

At the point when Coenus got back to the front line at the back of the Indians, Alexander had the option to overcome the Indian rangers and surround the infantry. Porus shifted his infantry into a guarded square and afterwards proposed to give up whenever allowed liberal terms.

In the end, Alexander concurred that Porus could remain the ruler of Paurava.

Battle of Hydaspes - Historically Significant

One of the main reasons behind Alexander's win was his clever tactics. Plus, the Macedonians' superior discipline and technology made winning the battle a lot easier for the great military mind, Alexander. In fact, tactician Kautilya of the Maurya Empire took lessons from the Battle of Hydaspes and highlighted the requirement for military preparation before battles.

Other than that, the Battle of Hydaspes is historically significant because it brought about the openness of old Greek political and social impacts to the Indian subcontinent, yielding works of Greco-Buddhist craftsmanship, which had an effect on the culture for a long time.

FAQs on Battle of Hydaspes

Q.1. Where did the Battle of Hydaspes take place?

The Battle of Hydaspes took place on the banks of the Jhelum River (referred to by the old Greeks as Hydaspes) in the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent (modern-day Punjab, Pakistan).

Q.2. What was the result of the Battle of Hydaspes?

The Battle of Hydaspes resulted in a Greek victory and the surrender of the Porus.

Q.3. When was the Battle of Hydaspes fought?

Back in 326 B.C., when Alexander the Great was on his mission of triumph in Asia, the great Battle of Hydaspes was fought between him and King Porus, who used to rule over the tracts between rivers Hydaspes (Jhelum).

Q.4. Why was the Battle of Hydaspes significant?

Although Porus ended up losing the Battle of Hydaspes, his courage impressed Alexander the Great so much that the latter reinstated him as a subordinate ruler and allowed him to rule the south-east, stretching out until the Hyphasis (Beas).