Alexander the Great’s Final Battle Nearly Killed Him with Drowning and War Elephants

History Unplugged Podcast

History Unplugged

Society & Culture, History

4.2 • 3.7K Ratings

🗓️ 25 July 2023

⏱️ 70 minutes

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Summary

In the years that followed Alexander the Great’s victory at Gaugamela on October 1, 331 BC, his Macedonian and Greek army fought a truly ‘Herculean’ series of campaigns in what is today Iran, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. But it was in the Indus Valley, on the banks of the Hydaspes River (known today as the Jhelum) in 326 BC that Alexander would fight his last major battle against King Poros.
Alexander used feints and deception to transport a select force from his army across the swollen River Hydaspes without attracting the enemy’s attention, allowing his troops the crucial element of surprise. There was a fascinating array of forces that clashed in the battle, including Indian war elephants and chariots, and horse archers and phalanx formations.
Although a tactical masterpiece, the Hydaspes was the closest that Alexander the Great came to defeat, and was one of the costliest battles fought by his near- exhausted army. To examine this battle is today’s guest, Nic Fields, author of “The Hydaspes 326 BC: The Limit of Alexander the Great’s Conquests.

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Transcript

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0:00.0	This guy here with another episode of the History Unplugged Podcast, Alexander the Great
0:09.0	exploded out of Macedonia in 336 BC like a supernova went on to conquer Egypt, the
0:14.2	Near East, and the entire Persian Empire, including today's Iran-Turkmenistan, Afghanistan
0:18.7	and Pakistan.
0:20.1	This final battle was in the Indus Valley on the banks of the Hidascus River, known
0:24.1	today as the Jaloon, in 326 BC.
0:26.8	This required an amphibious landing, a flanking maneuver, battling war elephants, which Macedonian
0:32.3	horses were not prepared for, and dealing with weaponry, armor and tactics, the renewed
0:37.6	Alexander in his army.
0:39.1	His victory was a tactical masterpiece and Napoleon would study it later for his own victory,
0:43.6	but the Hidasbis was the closest Alexander ever came to defeat, though as one of the
0:47.5	costliest battles fought by his near-exhausted army.
0:50.9	These guests as Nick Fields, author of the Hidasbis, 326 BC, the limit of Alexander the
0:55.4	Great's conquests.
0:57.0	This episode zeroes in on one particular battle, but it's a great overview of Alexander
1:01.7	the Great, if you've never learned anything about him.
1:04.5	We also get to see the effects of when two completely different cultures intermingled
1:09.1	one another.
1:10.1	Hope you enjoyed this discussion with Nick Fields.
1:12.1	And one more thing before we get started with this episode, a quick break for a word
1:18.2	from our sponsors.
1:20.8	This episode is brought to you by Lionsgate Plus.
	...

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