Battle of the Hydaspes
The Battle of the Hydaspes also known as Battle of Jhelum, or First Battle of Jhelum, was fought between Alexander the Great and Porus in May of 326 BC. It took place on the banks of the Hydaspes River in Punjab, as part of Alexander's Indian campaign. In what was possibly their most costly engagement, the Macedonian army secured a decisive victory over the Pauravas and captured Porus. Large areas of Punjab were subsequently absorbed into the Macedonian Empire; Porus was reinstated as the region's ruler after Alexander, having developed a newfound respect for the fierce resistance put up by Porus and his army, appointed him as a satrap.
| Battle of the Hydaspes | |||||||||
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| Part of Alexander's Indian campaign | |||||||||
Alexander the Great and Porus Francesco Fontebasso | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
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Macedonian Empire Hellenic League Gandhara | Pauravas | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
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| Strength | |||||||||
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45,000–47,000 total |
22,000–54,000 total | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
~1,000 total
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21,000–23,000 total | ||||||||
820miles
In spite of close Indian surveillance, Alexander's decision to cross the monsoon-swollen Hydaspes in order to catch Porus's army in the flank has been referred to as one of his "masterpieces" in combat. The Macedonians' engagement with the Indians at Hydaspes remains a very significant historical event with regard to the Wars of Alexander the Great, as it resulted in the exposure of Greek political and cultural influences to the Indian subcontinent, thereby yielding works such as Greco-Buddhist art, which would continue to affect Greeks and Indians for centuries to come.