The Punjab The Punjab The Punjab (pronounced or ; Punjabi: ਪੰਜਾਬ, The Punjab (pronounced or ; [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]: [[Gurmukhī script|ਪੰਜਾਬ]], The Punjab (pronounced or ; [[Punjabi language|Punjabi]]: [[Gurmukhī script|ਪੰਜਾਬ]], [[Shahmukhi script|, ), also spelled Panjab ' onMouseout='HidePop("28536")' href="http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Ancient_India">ancient India
Ancient India may refer to:*The ancient History of India, which generally includes the ancient history of the whole Indian subcontinent **Indus Valley Civilization — during the Bronze Age...
, near
BheraBhera is a town in the Punjab province of Pakistan. It is located on the Jhelum river in Sargodha District, at latitude 32.48 N, longitude 72.92 E. Pop. 18,680. It is the terminus of a branch of the North-Western Railway. It is an important centre of trade, with manufactures of cotton goods,...
now in
PakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located at the crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia...
. The kingdom of
PauravaThe Pauravas was the name given to the many small kingdoms in the 5th and 4th centuries BCE.-See also:*Battle of the Ten Kings*Battle of the Hydaspes River*Pauravas a sub-clan of Kambojas in Pakistan...
of King
Porus|align=right|King Porus was the King of Paurava. The state falls within the territory of Punjab located between the Jhelum and the Chenab rivers in the Punjab and dominions extending to the Beas...
was situated in the part of Punjab which is now part of modern day
PakistanPakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located at the crossroads of South Asia, the Middle East, and Central Asia...
(
Pakistani PunjabThe Punjab province of Pakistan. It is the country's most populous region with about 45% of Pakistan's total population. The Punjab is home to the Punjabis and various other groups...
). The Hydaspes was the last major and most costly battle fought by Alexander. King Porus and his men put up a fierce resistance against the invading Macedonian army which won the admiration and respect of Alexander.
Although victorious, Alexander's exhausted army mutinied soon after, when he made plans to cross river Hyphasis, and refused to go further into
IndiaIndia may refer to:In politics:* Contemporary Republic of India * Former Union of India In geography and culture:* The Indian subcontinent...
. After some short, yet victorious campaigns against Indian tribes residing along the Indus, securing his rule and founding cities that would serve as outposts and trade centers, Alexander would return to Babylon.
Location
The battle took place on the east bank of the Hydaspes River (now called the river
JhelumJehlum River or Jhelum River is a river that flows in India and Pakistan. It is the largest and most western of the five rivers of Punjab, and passes through Jhelum District...
, a tributary of the river Indus) in the Punjab province of Undivided India. Later, Alexander founded a city on the site of the battle, which he called
NicaeaNicaea was a city in what is now the present-day Punjab, one of the cities founded or renamed by Alexander the Great....
; as long as this city has not been discovered, any attempt to find the ancient battle site is doomed, because the landscape has changed considerably. For the moment, the most plausible location is just south of the city of Jhelum, where the ancient main road crossed the river, and where a Buddhist source indeed mentions a city that may be Nicaea. The identification of the battle site near modern
JalalpurJalalpur Sharif is a small town located in Jhelum, and is a Union Council of Pind Dadan Khan Tehsil in Jhelum District, Punjab province, Pakistan...
/Haranpur is certainly erroneous, as the river, in the ancient times, meandered far from these cities.
Background
After Alexander defeated the last of the
Achaemenid EmpireThe Achaemenid Empire or Persian Empire was the successor state of the Median Empire, ruling over significant portions of what would become Greater Iran. The Persian and the Median Empire taken together are also known as the Medo-Persian Empire, succeeding the Neo-Assyrian Empire...
's forces under
BessusBessus was a prominent Persian nobleman and satrap of Bactria, and later self-proclaimed king of Persia. According to classical sources, he killed his predecessor and relative, Darius III, after the Persian army had been defeated by Alexander the Great.In the Battle of Gaugamela , in which...
and
SpitamenesSpitamenes was a Persian courtier in the Persian province of Sogdiana, involved in the collapse of the Persian Empire under the forces of Alexander the Great...
in
328 BC-Macedonian Empire:* At Maracanda, Alexander murders Clitus, one of his most trusted commanders, friend and foster-brother, in a drunken quarrel; but his excessive display of remorse leads the army to pass a decree convicting Clitus posthumously of treason....
, he began a new campaign to further extend his empire towards the east and into the rich lands controlled by Indian princes
327 BC-Macedonian Empire:* Alexander the Great invades northern India. Recrossing the Hindu Kush, Alexander divides his forces. Half the army with the baggage under Hephaestion and Perdiccas, both cavalry commanders, are sent through the Khyber Pass, while Alexander leads the rest, together with his...
. Alexander's army is estimated at about 41,000 or 46,000, although larger numbers have been proposed, due to unnumbered Asiatic contingents that seem to have accompanied his main force.
The main train went into modern day Pakistan through the
Khyber PassThe Khyber Pass, is a mountain pass that links Pakistan and Afghanistan.Throughout history it has been an important trade route between Central Asia and South Asia and a strategic military location...
, but a smaller force under the personal command of Alexander went through the northern route, taking the fortress of
AornosAornos was the site of Alexander the Great's last siege, "the climax to Alexander's career as the greatest besieger in history" according to Alexander's biographer Robin Lane Fox. The siege took place in the winter of 327–326 BCE...
(modern day Pir-Sar, Pakistan) on the way, a place of high mythological significance to the Greeks, as, according to legend, Herakles had failed to occupy it, when he had campaigned to India. In early spring of the next year, he combined his forces and allied with
TaxilesTaxiles was the Greek chroniclers' name for a prince or king who reigned over the tract between the Indus and the Hydaspes Rivers in the Punjab at the period of the expedition of Alexander the Great, 327 BC...
(also Ambhi), the King of
TaxilaTaxila is an important archaeological site in the Punjab province of Pakistan.It dates back to the Ancient Indian period and contains the ruins of the Gandhāran city of Takshashila an important Vedic/Hindu and Buddhist centre of learning from the 6th century BCEto the 5th century CE...
, against his neighbor, the King of Hydaspes.
Motives
Alexander had to subdue King Porus in order to keep marching east. To leave such a strong opponent at his flanks would endanger any further exploit. He could also not afford to show any sign of weakness if he wanted to keep the loyalty of the already subdued Indian princes. Porus had to defend his kingdom and chose the perfect spot to check Alexander's advance. Although he lost the battle, he became the most successful recorded opponent of Alexander.
Pre Battle Maneuvers
Porus drew up on the south bank of the
Jhelum RiverJehlum River or Jhelum River is a river that flows in India and Pakistan. It is the largest and most western of the five rivers of Punjab, and passes through Jhelum District...
, and was set to repel any crossings. The
Jhelum RiverJehlum River or Jhelum River is a river that flows in India and Pakistan. It is the largest and most western of the five rivers of Punjab, and passes through Jhelum District...
was deep and fast enough that any opposed crossing would probably doom the entire attacking force. Alexander knew that a direct crossing had little chances of success and thus tried to find alternative fords. He moved his mounted troops up and down the river bank each night, Porus shadowing him. Eventually, Alexander used a suitable crossing, about 27 km (17 miles) upstream of his camp. His plan was a classic pincer maneuver. He left his general Craterus behind with most of the army, while he crossed the river upstream with a strong contingent, consisting, according to Arrian of 6,000 foot and 5,000 horse, though it is probable that it was larger. Craterus was to ford the river and attack if Porus faced Alexander with all his troops, but to hold his position if Porus faced Alexander with only a part of his army.
Alexander quietly moved his part of the army upstream and then traversed the river in utmost secrecy. He mistakenly landed on an island, but soon crossed to the other side. Porus perceived his opponent's maneuver and sent a small cavalry and chariot force under his son to fight off Alexander, hoping that he would be able to prevent his crossing. Alexander had already passed, and easily routed his opponent, the chariots in particular being impeded by the mud near the shore of the river, with Porus' son among the dead. Porus understood that Alexander had crossed to his side of the river and hasted to face him with the best part of his army, leaving behind a small detachment to disrupt the landing of Craterus' force, should he try to cross the river.
Battle
When Porus reached the point where Alexander's army was arrayed, he deployed his forces and commenced the attack. The Indians were poised with cavalry on both flanks, their center being comprised by infantry with elephants towering among or before them in equal intervals. The elephants caused much harm to the Macedonian phalanx, but were eventually repulsed by the dense pikes of the phallangitai, wreaking much havoc upon their own lines.
Alexander started the battle by sending horse archers to shower the Indian left cavalry wing. Then, he led the charge against the weakened Indian wing. The rest of the Indian cavalry galloped to their hard pressed kinsmen but at this moment, Coenus's cavalry contingent appeared on the Indian rear. The Indians tried to form a double phalanx, but the necessary complicated maneuvers brought even more confusion into their ranks making it easier for the Macedonian horse to conquer. The remaining Indian cavalry fled among the elephants for protection, but the beasts were already out of control and would soon retreat exhausted from the field, leaving the rest of Porus's army encircled by the Macedonian horse and phalanx. At this time, the phallangitai locked their shields and advanced upon the confused enemy. Porus, after putting up a brave fight, surrendered and the battle was finally over. According to Justin, during the battle, Porus challenged Alexander, who charged him on horseback. Alexander fell off his horse in the ensuing duel, his bodyguards carrying him off and capturing Porus.
Macedonian losses in the battle of Hydaspes were severe, in comparison to all other major battles he gave. Arrian amounts the losses to 310 and Diodorus to about 1.000, a large number for a victor, yet not improbable, considering the partial success of the Indian war elephants. Indian losses amounted to 23.000 according to Arrian, 12,000 dead and over 9,000 men captured according to Diodorus. The last two numbers are remarkably close, if it is assumed that Arrian added any prisoners to the total Indian casualties.
Aftermath
The bravery, war skills and princely attitude of
Porus|align=right|King Porus was the King of Paurava. The state falls within the territory of Punjab located between the Jhelum and the Chenab rivers in the Punjab and dominions extending to the Beas...
much impressed Alexander, who allowed him to rule Hydaspes in Alexander's name. Wounded in his shoulder, standing at over 1.8 m (6 feet) tall, but still on his feet, he was asked by Alexander how he wished to be treated. "Treat me, O Alexander, like a king" Porus responded. Alexander would indeed treat him like a king, allowing him to retain his kingship. The Macedonian regent founded two cities, one at the spot of the battle called Nicaea (Greek for Victory) in commemoration of his success and one on the other side of the Hydaspes called Alexandria Bucephalus, to honor his faithful steed, which died soon after this battle. In
326 BC-Macedonian Empire:* In the spring, Alexander the Great crosses the Indus near Attock and enters Taxila, whose ruler, Taxiles , furnishes elephants and troops in return for aid against his rival Porus, who rules the lands between the Hydaspes and the Acesines .* On the left bank of the Hydaspes,...
, the army of
Alexander the GreatAlexander III of Macedon, popularly known as Alexander the Great , was an Ancient Greek king of Macedon who created one of the largest empires in ancient history...
approached the boundaries of the Magadha. His army, exhausted from the continuous campaigning and frightened at the prospect of facing yet another gigantic Indian army, demanded that they should return to the west. This happened at the
HyphasisThe Beas River is the second easternmost of the rivers of the Punjab, a tributary of Indus River. The river rises in the Himalayas in central Himachal Pradesh, India, and flows for some 470 km to the Sutlej River in western Punjab state.-Etymology:The river was also known as Arjikuja of...
(modern
BeasThe Beas River is the second easternmost of the rivers of the Punjab, a tributary of Indus River. The river rises in the Himalayas in central Himachal Pradesh, India, and flows for some 470 km to the Sutlej River in western Punjab state.-Etymology:The river was also known as Arjikuja of...
), the exact spot being believed to be at 'Kathgarh' in Indora tehsil of Himachal Pardesh with nearest rail head at Pathankot, Punjab). Alexander finally gave in and turned south, along the Indus, securing the banks of the river as the borders of his empire.
Modern
- Fuller, John (1960). The Generalship of Alexander the Great. New Jersey: De Capo Press.
- Green, Peter
Peter Green is a British classical scholar noted for his works on Alexander the Great and the Hellenistic Age of ancient history, generally regarded as spanning the era from the death of Alexander in 323 B.C. up to either the date of the Battle of Actium or the death of Augustus in 14 A.D...
(1974). Alexander of Macedon: A Historical Biography.
- Harbottle, Thomas Benfield (1906). Dictionary of Battles. New York.
- Rogers, Guy (2004). Alexander: The Ambiguity of Greatness. New York: Random House.
Ancient
- Diodorus Siculus
Diodorus Siculus , was a Greek historian who flourished in the 1st century BC. According to Diodorus' own work, he was born at Agyrium in Sicily . With one exception, antiquity affords no further information about Diodorus' life and doing than is to be found in his own work, Bibliotheca historica...
(90-30 BC). Bibliotheca Historica.
- Quintus Curtius Rufus
Quintus Curtius Rufus was a Roman historian, writing probably during the reign of the Emperor Claudius or Vespasian. His only surviving work, Historiae Alexandri Magni, is a biography of Alexander the Great in Latin in ten books, of which the first two are lost, and the remaining eight are...
(60-70 AD). Historiae Alexandri Magni.
- Plutarch
Plutarch, born Plutarchos then, on his becoming a Roman citizen, Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus , c. AD 46 – 120, was a Greek historian, biographer, essayist, and Middle Platonist known primarily for his Parallel Lives and Moralia...
(75 AD). The Life of Alexander the Great, Parallel LivesPlutarch's Lives of the Noble Greeks and Romans, commonly called Parallel Lives or Plutarch's Lives, is a series of biographies of famous men, arranged in tandem to illuminate their common moral virtues or failings, written in the late 1st Century...
.
- Arrian
Lucius Flavius Arrianus 'Xenophon , known in English as Arrian , and Arrian of Nicomedia, was a Roman historian , a public servant, a military commander and a philosopher of the Roman period...
(early 2nd c. AD).
- Metz Epitome.
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