In 326 BCE, two legendary leaders collided in an epic showdown at the Battle of the Hydaspes River! On one side: Alexander the Great, the undefeated conqueror of the known world. On the other: King Porus, the mighty ruler of the Indian subcontinent, who refused to back down.

After conquering Persia, Alexander wasn’t done. He set his eyes on India! But before he could advance, he had to cross the raging Hydaspes River and face King Porus, who stood tall with a secret weapon—war elephants!

Porus wasn’t just any king. Towering at over 7 feet tall, he led a fierce army armed with 200 war elephants, 30,000 foot soldiers, and 4,000 cavalry. His goal? Defend his land at all costs.

But Alexander was a military genius. Despite the river being flooded by monsoon rains, he used the darkness of night to quietly cross upstream with a surprise force!

The battle was brutal. Porus’s elephants thundered through Alexander’s cavalry, creating chaos! But Alexander’s disciplined soldiers stayed calm. They targeted the elephants’ handlers and used mobility to outmaneuver Porus’s massive beasts.