King Porus: Life and Legacy After the Battle of Hydaspes

The Fate of King Porus after his Defeat by Alexander the Great: Betrayal and Assassination.

Karan Bir Singh Sidhu is a retired IAS officer who writes at the intersection of Indian history, Indology, and mythological narratives from the epics. His work blends historical inquiry with cultural storytelling to revive India’s timeless traditions and forgotten legacies.

King Porus: Life and Legacy

In 326 BC, the Indian subcontinent witnessed one of the most remarkable encounters in ancient history—the clash between King Porus of Punjab, or Sapt Sindhu, and Alexander the Great of Macedon at the Battle of the Hydaspes, fought on the banks of the River Jhelum. Though Porus was ultimately defeated in this fierce confrontation, his conduct in battle and afterwards became the stuff of legend. His life post-defeat tells a compelling story of dignity, resilience, and political transformation that left a lasting legacy in the annals of ancient Indo-Greek history.

The Iconic Surrender and Alexander’s Respect

After the devastating defeat near the Hydaspes River (modern-day Jhelum), Porus—wounded, his army shattered, his elephants subdued, and his sons slain—was brought before Alexander the Great. What followed was not humiliation but mutual admiration. When Alexander asked how he should be treated, Porus’s now-legendary reply, “Like a King,” evoked such respect that the Macedonian conqueror made an extraordinary decision: he reinstated Porus as ruler of his former kingdom.

Alexander’s Strategic Gamble

Alexander’s respect for Porus was not merely emotional but deeply strategic. Rather than replacing him with a Macedonian governor, Alexander appointed Porus as a satrap within his imperial administration. Not only was Porus reinstated, but his dominion was substantially enlarged. Alexander granted him control over fifteen distinct tribal territories or principalities, along with thousands of settlements and fortified cities, expanding his rule as far east as the Hyphasis (modern-day Beas) River. In doing so, Alexander secured a loyal and competent ally in a distant and culturally complex frontier of his empire.

From Rival to Ally: Porus’s Role in Alexander’s Campaigns

Porus’s military value to Alexander soon became evident. He aided in the siege of Sangala, a heavily fortified city across the Ravi River. Unlike other Indian rulers like Ambhi of Taxila or Abisares, Porus earned Alexander’s complete trust. He was allowed to govern without Macedonian oversight and even garrisoned newly conquered cities with his own forces. This collaboration not only stabilised the region but affirmed Porus as the most reliable local administrator during Alexander’s campaign in India.

Administrator of Punjab and De Facto Regional Ruler

As Alexander’s ambitions turned eastward toward the Ganges, Porus continued to maintain order in the Punjab. When Alexander’s army mutinied at the Beas River, refusing to advance further into India, the Macedonian leader was forced to turn back. During this retreat, Porus was confirmed as the de facto ruler of the entire territory east of the Jhelum River, solidifying his stature in the region as Alexander’s most prominent Indian ally.

The Tumultuous Aftermath of Alexander’s Death

The sudden death of Alexander in 323 BC in Babylon unleashed a wave of chaos across his empire, sparking the Wars of the Diadochi among his generals. For a brief time, Porus's authority in India remained intact, with Antipater, the new regent, recognising his rule along the Indus River. Yet the turbulent succession wars and regional ambitions of Alexander’s lieutenants soon reached Porus’s doorstep.

The Assassination by Eudemus

Porus’s end came at the hands of betrayal. Eudemus, one of Alexander’s appointed commanders in India, assassinated Porus between 321 and 315 BC. This was a time of power grabs, and Eudemus, perhaps eyeing greater control, eliminated the one man who had ruled independently and effectively. After Porus’s death, Eudemus consolidated his power and supported Eumenes in the wars against Antigonus, using the very military resources likely seized from Porus’s territories.

Eudemus’s Fall from Grace

The betrayal did not serve Eudemus well in the long run. His alliance with Eumenes soured, and he ultimately joined conspirators against his own side. After Eumenes was captured, Eudemus himself was executed by Antigonus—another twist in the treacherous web of post-Alexandrian politics. Thus, the assassin of Porus met his end not long after committing his treachery.

A Historical Enigma: Porus in the Greek Records

Interestingly, Porus is known only through Greek accounts. No Indian texts of the time mention Alexander’s invasion or the king who fought him. This absence has led to theories about Porus’s identity, with some scholars suggesting he was a king of the Pūrus, a Vedic tribe of the Punjab, while others speculate he belonged to the Shurasena clan, based on Greek descriptions of his army’s religious symbols.

Cultural Afterlife and Representation

The powerful image of Porus—proud in defeat, honoured by Alexander, and ultimately martyred through betrayal—has endured across centuries of literature, art, and popular culture. His story figures prominently in the legendary Alexander Romance and has continued to inspire retellings through film, television, and even video games. From Bollywood’s classic Sikandar to the grand historical drama Sikandar-e-Azam (1965), where the legendary Prithviraj Kapoor portrayed the valiant King Porus with gravitas and dignity, his character has come to symbolise the enduring archetype of the noble adversary—one who commands respect even in loss.

King Porus: Remembered in Legend, Neglected in Curriculum

King Porus remains one of history’s most compelling figures—not merely for his defiance of Alexander the Great, but for the dignity, composure, and strategic acumen he displayed in defeat. His rare post-battle alliance with the Macedonian conqueror enabled him to govern an even larger realm with considerable autonomy in one of antiquity’s most expansionist empires. Though he ultimately fell victim to betrayal in the chaotic aftermath of Alexander’s death, Porus endures as a timeless symbol of honour, resilience, and principled leadership.

It is unfortunate, however, that while nearly every schoolchild in India learns of the dramatic confrontation between ‘Sikander’ and Porus, the deeper story of Porus’s life, governance, and legacy remains absent from our classrooms. This neglect serves as yet another reminder that the teaching of Indian history remains disproportionately focused on the dynastic intrigues of petty Delhi sultanates—ephemeral regimes whose authority, as historian Vincent Smith aptly observed, was defined by the simple truth that "the length of their sword was the limit of their sway."

Disclaimer

I am not a trained historian or academic scholar. This article is the result of diligent, good-faith research based primarily on publicly available sources. If any factual inaccuracies have inadvertently crept in, I welcome corrections and will be happy to amend them.