Indian arms and armor (Arrian, Indica 16.6-10)
Crossing the Hydaspes (
Monsoons began in early June
River was high and rising
No bridges, boats had been sequestered by Indians
Alexander sends Coenus back to
transport pontoon bridge from
Porus’ view: only a lunatic would cross the Hydaspes in the Monsoon
March to Hydaspes
Monsoon conditions
Incorporates 5000 Indian troops from Taxila [A 5.11.3]
Marches 110 miles in two days
Camps at Haranpur (best possible ford)
River is too flooded to ford
Army maneuvers in the area
Alexander proclaims that he will wait until monsoons end to attack (A 5.10.1)
Discovery of
Large and wooded
Can be used to hide concentration of troops and boats
Narrow river maximizes crossing potential
Constant demonstrations with no results cause Porus to relax vigilance
Advance of Abisares, king of
Army a “little smaller” than Porus’ [D 17.87.3]
Crossing of the Hydaspes
Two other forces left to confuse Porus and cross later [A 5.10.3-4]
Craterus [A 5.11.3-4]
Meleager with mercenaries [A 5.12.1]
Boats collected and hidden behind island
Monsoon and electrical storm
Crack troops: 5000 cavalry, 6,000 infantry [A 5.12.2, 13.4, 14.1]
Use of 1000 Bactrian and Scythian mounted archers (20% of cavalry)
Cross in the storm but accidentally land on a small island [A 5.13.1-3]
Army has to ford the river, and barely survive
Army marshals on east bank
Porus’ Dilemma
He will be pinned down no matter which direction he moves his army
Porus’ advance guard
[A 5.14.3-15.2; C 8.14.2-8]
He sends holding force under his son of 1000 cavalry and 60 chariots [A 5.14.1-6]
Monsoon renders six-man chariots ineffective and immobilized
Macedonians, greatly outnumbering the Indians, defeat the force
Fatal mistake: Porus uses much of his cavalry to stop crossing, but is too late
Indian order of battle
20,000 infantry, 2000 cavalry, 130 elephants, 180 chariots [A 5.15.4]
Infantry spaced with an elephant every hundred feet
[A 5.15.5-7; C 8.14.13; D 17.89.4-5]
Elephants prevent cavalry charge on main line [A 5.15.5]
Horses fear elephants [A 5.10.2]
Cavalry and chariots on flanks [A 5.15.7]
Indian numerical weakness in cavalry and chariots
Monsoon problem
Chariot can’t maneuver in the mud [A 5.15.2]
Wet conditions ruin Indian long-bows [C 8.14.19]
Alexander’s plan [A 5.15.1-3]
Attack on right with half the cavalry
Keep other half hidden on left under Coenus
Draw off Porus’ right cavalry to support the left
Attack with hidden cavalry on left and rear
Then hit with the phalanx
Mounted archers defeat chariots before they can engage [A 5.16.4; D 17.88.1]
Limited range of javelins in chariots?
Alexander charges with the main assault cavalry
Mounted archers are particularly effective; Indians never faced before?
Porus transfers his cavalry to support left flank and defeat Alexander
Coenus hits Indians in their right and rear
Indian cavalry is driven off into the main body [A 5.17.2-3]
Phalanx engages main Indian infantry in a central bloodbath
Macedonians almost break before elephants
Elephants are wounded, mahouts killed, elephants rampage [D 17.88.3; A 5.17.5-6]
Porus with 40 elephants in reserve makes final charge [D 17.88.4-5]
Macedonians respond with missile fire
Porus, wounded many times, faints, Indian army flees [D 17.88.6; A 5.18.4-7]
Cavalry attacks in the rear break the Indians [A 5.17.3-4]
Craterus crosses the river and pursues fleeing Indians [A 5.18.1]
General massacre of defeated
12-20,000 infantry, 3000 cavalry
Macedonian casualties
700 infantry, 280 cavalry
reality = 4000?
Aftermath
Porus fights heroicly, wounded, withdraws
Alexander sends messengers offering terms [A 5.18.1-3]
“Like a king.”
Alexander reinstates Porus as subject ruler
Considered Alexander’s greatest victory
Founding of Buchephalia [A 5.18.4-6]
Morale of the Macedonians broken [P 62.1]
Opposing forces
Indian Army (Porus)
|
|
Infantry |
Cavalry |
Chariots |
Elephants |
|
Arrian 5.15.4 |
30,000 |
4000 |
300 |
200 |
|
Curtius 8.13.6 |
30,000 |
-- |
300 |
85 |
|
Diod. 17.87.2 |
50,000 |
3000 |
Over 1000 |
130 |
|
Plut. 62.1 |
20,000 |
2000 |
-- |
-- |
|
|
30,000 |
-- |
300 |
85 |
|
Poly. 4.3.22 |
|
|
|
50 |
Indian Army (Porus’ son)
|
|
Infantry |
Cavalry |
Chariots |
Elephants |
|
A 5.14.1-6 |
|
2000 |
60 only 120 |
|
|
C 14.34 |
|
4000 |
100 |
|
|
Diodorus |
|
|
|
|
|
P 60.5 |
|
1000 |
60 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Indian Casualties
|
|
Infantry |
Cavalry |
Chariots |
Elephants |
|
Arrian |
20,000 |
3000 |
300 |
200 |
|
Curtius |
|
|
|
|
|
D 17.89.1-2 |
12,000 killed 9000 captured |
-- |
80 captured |
-- |
|
Plutarch |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total Macedonian Army
|
|
Infantry |
Cavalry |
Chariots |
Elephants |
|
A 5.8.5 |
5000 Indians |
|
|
|
|
Curtius |
|
|
|
|
|
Diodorus |
|
|
|
|
|
Plutarch |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Alexander’s Force which crossed the river
|
|
Infantry |
Cavalry |
Chariots |
Elephants |
|
A 5.14.1, 5.18.3 |
6000 |
5000 |
|
|
|
Curtius |
|
|
|
|
|
Diodorus |
|
|
|
|
|
Plutarch |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Macedonian Casualties
|
|
Infantry |
Cavalry |
Chariots |
Elephants |
|
Arrian |
80 |
230 |
|
|
|
Curtius |
|
|
|
|
|
D 17.89.3 |
700 |
280 |
|
|
|
Plutarch |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Bibliography
Primary Sources
Arrian 5.8.4-19.3
Curtius 8.13-14
*Diodorus 17.87-89
*Justin 12.8.1-7
*Plutarch 60-62
Frontinus, Strategems, 1.4.9
Polyaenus 4.3.9, 22
Pliny HN 6.21.62
Secondary Sources
Bosworth, A. B., Alexander and the East, (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1996), pp. 2-21 (additional bibliography referenced on p. 6, n. 13)
Bosworth,
A. B., Conquest and Empire, (
Fuller,
J. F. C., The Generalship of Alexander the Great,
(Rutgers UP, 1960), pp. 180-99
Green,
P., Alexander of Macedon, (Berkeley:
University of California Press, 1991), pp. 389-402
Quiz
T/F Like
Darius, the flight of Porus caused the rest of the
Indian army to retreat.
T/F Alexander
crossed the Hydaspes at high water in the middle of the monsoon season.
T/F Indian
elephants almost broke the phalanx.
T/F
Alexander’s horse Bucephalas dies
shortly after the battle.
T/F I
[= you] read 100% of today’s assignment.