Porus, Period, Death, Alexander’s Invasion, Battle of Hydaspes

Porus was an ancient Indian king who ruled the territory between the Hydaspes (Jhelum) and Acesines (Chenab) rivers in the Punjab region. He is known mainly for resisting Alexander the Great during his eastward invasion in 326 BC. The Battle of the Hydaspes became the major confrontation between the two rulers. After the battle, Porus retained his kingdom and received additional territories from Alexander.

Who was Porus?

Porus was a powerful regional ruler of the 4th century BC. Greek accounts are the only contemporary sources that mention Porus and his kingdom.

• Period: Porus flourished around 326-321 BC and reportedly died sometime between 321 and 315 BC after the death of Alexander the Great.
• Sources: Porus is absent from Indian sources of the period. Information about him comes mainly from Greek writers, whose accounts also differ considerably.
• Identity: Michael Witzel suggested that Porus may have been a ruler of the Pūrus, a Vedic tribe associated with the Sapta Sindhu region. While, Ishwari Prasad and some other scholars connected Porus with the Shurasena tradition because Greek accounts associated a tribe called Sourasenoi with Mathura and the Yamuna.
• Military reputation: Greek narratives portray Porus as a determined warrior who continued fighting despite the battlefield difficulties and refused to surrender until his army was defeated.
• Contemporary context: Porus belonged to the political landscape of northwestern India when Alexander crossed the Indus and advanced towards the Punjab.

Rule and Kingdom of Porus

Porus controlled an important territory between two major rivers. His kingdom occupied a strategically significant part of the Punjab during Alexander’s invasion.

• Territory: Porus ruled the region between the Hydaspes (Jhelum) and Acesines (Chenab) rivers.
• Cities: Strabo stated that the territory of Porus contained almost 300 cities, indicating a substantial and organised kingdom.
• Taxila relations: Porus had hostile relations with the neighbouring polity of Taxila. He had reportedly assassinated Ambhiraj, the maternal uncle of Taxila’s ruler Omphis.

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Alexander’s Invasion

The key events and timeline of the invasion of Alexander in India during the rule of Porus has been discussed below:

• Alexander’s arrival: Alexander crossed the Indus, probably near Udabhandapura. Omphis welcomed him and accepted an alliance with the Macedonian conqueror.
• Diplomatic pressure: Omphis attempted to use Alexander’s military strength to bring Porus and Abisares under submission.
• Porus’s response: Abisares offered submission, but Porus refused. Alexander therefore decided to confront Porus near the Hydaspes.
• Military preparation: Porus positioned infantry and war elephants in the centre. His cavalry and chariots were deployed on the wings.
• Strategic importance: Control of the Hydaspes provided Porus with a major natural obstacle against Alexander’s advancing army.

Porus vs Alexander the Great

The confrontation between Porus and Alexander was shaped by river crossings, battlefield mobility and the use of war elephants.

• River crossing: Alexander reused vessels associated with his earlier Indus crossing, while making repeated movements along the Hydaspes to confuse Porus.
• Night operation: Alexander eventually crossed the Hydaspes during a stormy night before dawn. The crossing was conducted through densely forested terrain.
• Initial resistance: Porus’s son detected Alexander’s crossing and attacked with horsemen and chariots. Alexander’s cavalry repelled this force.
• Battle formation: Porus deployed elephants among his infantry. His cavalry and chariots occupied the flanks.
• Alexander’s tactics: Alexander concentrated on mobile cavalry attacks. His forces struck Porus’s wings and created disorder among his formations.
• Elephants: Porus used war elephants as a major battlefield force. Alexander’s troops attacked the mahouts and pushed several elephants back into Porus’s own formations.
• Army strength: Sources estimated that Porus had around 30,000 infantry and about 4,000 mounted troops. Ancient accounts vary considerably regarding army numbers.
• Final phase: Porus continued fighting even after his cavalry had been defeated and his army was surrounded. He was eventually wounded and his forces were routed.

Also Read: Persian and Greek Invasion of India

Battle of the Hydaspes

The Battle of the Hydaspes, fought in 326 BC, was Alexander’s major battle against Porus in the Punjab. Its exact location remains uncertain.

• Result: Alexander defeated Porus in the battle. 
• Porus’s resistance: Porus continued fighting despite severe battlefield losses. His determination reportedly impressed Alexander.
• Surrender: Porus eventually surrendered after being wounded. Alexander chose not to remove him from power.
• Restoration: Alexander restored Porus to his kingdom instead of deposing him after the battle.
• Territorial expansion: Alexander expanded Porus’s authority by adding territories that had belonged to Glausaes, whose kingdom lay northeast of Porus’s territory.
• Political settlement: Omphis was reconciled with Porus after the conflict. Porus subsequently became an important local ruler under Alexander’s wider political arrangement.
• Sagala campaign: Porus later joined Alexander in the campaign against Sagala and contributed elephants to the assault.
• Hyphasis: Alexander advanced to the Hyphasis (Beas River) after the campaign. His exhausted troops refused to proceed farther towards the Gangetic Plain.
• Alexander’s return: Alexander abandoned his plan to cross the Hyphasis. Porus was subsequently recognised as the de facto ruler of territories east of the Hydaspes.
• Commemorations: Alexander established Nicaea to commemorate his victory and Bucephalous near the battlefield in memory of his horse.

Porus Death

Porus remained a regional ruler after Alexander’s death. His political position later changed during the struggle among Alexander’s successors. Alexander died in 323 BC. Perdiccas subsequently became regent of the Macedonian Empire.Perdiccas was murdered in 321 BC. Antipater then became the new regent. Antipater recognised Porus’s authority over territories along the Indus River. 

Eudemus, who had served as Alexander’s satrap in the Punjab, later killed Porus. Porus reportedly died sometime between 321 and 315 BC. Porus is remembered primarily for his resistance to Alexander at the Battle of the Hydaspes and for retaining his kingship after defeat.