pothos.org

alexander got beaten

This has been discussed before - but there is no firm or compelling evidence. Can you tell us your reasons for saying this ? Are you using Indian sources ?Susan

I recall this message thread too. Last time I wasted a precious 30 minutes looking into the completely outragous Indian source. I enjoy re exmining history but this one was a waste of time.Completely nationalistic.PS. Alexander was really and Aussie. I swear, and his love child is Steve Irwin the Croc Hunter. I promise its true. No more outragious then some of the other bull S&*t on the page presently.

I recall this thread as well. But unlike you Dave I don't consider reading the mentioned site a waste of time. Instead I bookmarked it and go back to it whenever I'm in need of a good laugh .Here it is again for those who missed it: http://www.itihaas.com/ancient/1.htmlPS
I particularly like the part that Alexander said: "Porus, please pardon me. I have realized your bravery and strength. Now I cannot bear these agonies. WIth a sad heart I am planning to put an end to my life. I do not desire that my soldiers should also be ruined like me. I am that culprit who has thrust them into the jaw of death. It does not become a king to thrust his soldiers into the jaws of death."

who cares?

Hi Dave -I think there is no reason to answer someone by calling his posting sh & it. The poster actually got a point for discussion - whether we like it or not. I will gladly admit that the itihaas-website is taking a very drastic shortcut (and is therefore not to be taken too serious).But all our sources indicate that Alexander's army dit get a beating at the Hydapses. This was an entirely different war than fighting Darius' armies. Check Plutarch, who claims the battle lasted until 2 o'clock in the afternoon - which is exceptionally long for a classical battle as the troops had to cross the river during the night. The Macedonian courage was "blunted" after Hydaspes, says Plutarch. In Arrian, Curtius and Diordorus we can all read that the Hydaspes was no easy victory at all. That would remind you of Pyrrhus words: "One more victory like this, and we are doomed" (or something like that).Most versions of the Alexander Romance (as long as you would regard that as circumstantial evidence) claim that as the battle was indecisive, and losses became unbearable on both sides - Alexander ordered a ceasefire and proposed to Porus to let a man-to-man combat decide who would be victorious.Please understand me right: after having digged into the matter, I believe that Alexander was victorious against Porus. But something drastic happened during the Hydaspes battle that changed the behavior of the Macedonian army & Alexander forever.Regards -
Nick

I thought that there is a movie located in this site that uses that theory stating that Roxanne is who actually won the battle for Alexander. Why does King Poros tell Alexander that all he wants is to be treated like a king if he had defeated Alexander?

The movie is entitled Sikander, 1941, listed under movies. The synopsis and review is found under movies.

yeah right...don't believe everything you might come across on the net...and go back to the sources. It doesn't matter anyway, unless you're the latest reincarnation of Poros himself.

This battle was much harder for the Macedonian army for one reason; Porus had at least 85 elephants in his army. The macedonian cavalry horses were unused to elephants and so the infantry had to defeat the Indian infantry and elephants by themselves without the cavalry's aid. The Indian warriors fought very bravely but the ancient sources say their equipment was much inferior, i.e. no body armor. The Macedonian Army had been marching and fighting for years and the experience of battling elephants in hand-to-trunk combat seems to have scarred the soldiers. They and Alexander both became much more prone to atrocities for the rest of the Indian campaign.

Normally I wouldn't even respond to something sooo ridiculous...but let's face it folks this person is spending too much time on yahoo chat, and not enough in the books. Posts designed (if you can call it that) to get replies by rabble rousing and offending should be removed.later Nicator

Hi Nick,Though I will agree with you that the Macedonians had a difficult time of it, they did win. Though their courage was blunted, they did win. Though they turned back shortly thereafter, they did win. later Nicator

all I see here is alot of empty talk but no real evidence to the claims