Author:

Wajid Hussain Joyia
Higher Education Department
Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan

Email: wajidjoya@yahoo.com

Abstract:: The Battle of the Hydaspes (326 BCE) is commonly described in Greek historiography as a decisive victory that secured Macedonian dominance in the Punjab. This article re-examines that interpretation by placing classical narratives alongside regional geography and archaeological evidence. It argues that once the campaign narrative moves east of the Hydaspes (modern Jhelum), the surviving sources display increasing uncertainty in river identification, routes of movement, casualty figures, and descriptions of political authority.These textual inconsistencies correspond with a clear archaeological imbalance. While Gandhara and Taxila have yielded substantial evidence of Macedonian and later Hellenistic presence, no securely identifiable remains east of the Hydaspes can be attributed to Alexander’s campaign. Even locations traditionally associated with the expedition, such as Boukephala, remain archaeologically unconfirmed.The article further reassesses Alexander’s withdrawal and the renewed eastward movement during the return campaign, suggesting that Macedonian authority east of the Hydaspes was limited, situational, and politically constrained rather than institutional. The Hydaspes thus emerges as the practical eastern limit of sustained Macedonian control in South Asia.

Key Words:: Alexander the Great, Battle of Hydaspes, Porus, Punjab, Taxila etc.