Atlas of Battles

battle, landmark, ancient

Battle of the Hydaspes

Battle of the Hydaspes was a battle fought in May 326 BC at Jhelum River, in what is now Pakistan. It was part of Q125881465. The recorded result: Macedonian victory. Recorded strength: 45,000–47,000 total; 40,000 infantry against 22,000–54,000 total; 20,000–50,000 infantry.

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Alexander and Porus by Charles Le Brun, painted 1673. Le Brun also spelled LEBRUN (b. Feb. 24, 1619, Paris, France--d. Feb. 12, 1690, Paris), painter and designer who became the arbiter of artistic pr
Alexander and Porus by Charles Le Brun, painted 1673. Le Brun also spelled LEBRUN (b. Feb. 24, 1619, Paris, France--d. Feb. 12, 1690, Paris), painter and designer who became the arbiter of artistic pr. Charles Le Brun, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
FoughtMay 326 BC
WhereJhelum River, Pakistan32.828N, 73.639E
OutcomeMacedonian victory
BelligerentsMacedonian Empire; Hellenic League; GandharaagainstPauravas
Casualties and losses~1,000 total; 80–700 infantry killedandDiodorus; 12,000 killed
Part ofQ125881465

Record

DateMay 326 BC (month precision)
PlaceJhelum River, Pakistan
32.828N, 73.639E
KindBattle, ancient
Territorial changeMacedon annexes most of Punjab, from the Hydaspes to the Hyphasis (Beas River)
Strength45,000–47,000 total; 40,000 infantry22,000–54,000 total; 20,000–50,000 infantry
Casualties and losses~1,000 total; 80–700 infantry killedDiodorus; 12,000 killed
Commanders
  • Porus the Elder
Battle of the HydaspesBattle of the HydaspesBattle of Jhelum - Indian MutinyBattle of NandanaSiege of MirpurBattle of RamnagarBattle of ChambBattle of Jhelum - Indian MutinyBattle of NandanaSiege of MirpurBattle of RamnagarAmritsarIslamabadGujranwalaJammuRawalpindiSargodhaSialkoteSheikhu Pura100 km32.828N, 73.639E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

The ground today

Relief of the ground around the site of Battle of the Hydaspes
Relief within about 10.0 km of the site, contours every 10 m. Copernicus DEM GLO-30, ESA.
Satellite view of the site of Battle of the Hydaspes today
The same ground from Sentinel-2 on 2025-10-16. Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2025.

The recorded site stands at about 224 m; within 10.0 km the ground runs from 219 to 387 m, 168 m of relief, hilly country and today it is 51% cropland, 21% water, 10% shrubland.

cropland: 51%water: 21%shrubland: 10%tree cover: 8%built-up: 4%grassland: 3%bare ground: 2%cropland 51%water 21%shrubland 10%tree cover 8%built-up 4%
west to east, 10.0 km220 to 255 mnorth to south, 10.0 km220 to 247 m
Elevation from the Copernicus DEM GLO-30 (ESA, Airbus); land cover from ESA WorldCover 2021 (CC BY 4.0), within about 5 km of the recorded site. Computed, not recorded.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 326 BC

Battle of the Hydaspes is one of 137 engagements of the 4th century BC in the atlas and one of 67 in present-day Pakistan.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q213074, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of the Hydaspes, revision 1370600276, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.