The Chronology of India, from the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Sixteenth Century c5.31

c5.31

326 Alexander, having crossed the Indus near the modern Attak, 326 advances to Taxila, a great and flourishing city three marches east of the river, where he is hospitably entertained by Omphis or Taxilēs. After the rains had set in he marches to the Hydaspēs (Jhīlam), and encamps on its right bank at Jalālpūr, whence he sees the army of Pōros prepared to dispute his crossing. Having made the passage of the river at a point above Jalālpūr, he engages and defeats Pōros in a great battle, taking him prisoner. He then founds two cities, Nikaia (now Mong) on the site of the victory, and Boukephala at his passage of the river, named in memory of his famous horse which was killed in the battle. He next conquers the Glausai, who inhabited the districts now called Bhimber and Bajaur, and receives the submission of Abisarēs of Kashmir. Having crossed the Akesinēs (Chenāb), he traverses the country between that river and the Hydraōtēs (Rāvi) in pursuit of Pōros, who was the nephew of the great Pōros and had revolted. Crossing the Hydraōtēs, he advances to the Hyphasis (Biyās), but is opposed by the Kathaians, whose form of government was republican. He drives them into their capital, Sangala, which he besieges, captures, and razes to the ground. He next receives the submission of Sōphytēs, king of a flourishing territory lying to the west of the Hyphasis, towards the foot of the hills. Having obtained information as to the strength of the army kept by Agrammēs or Xandramēs, king of Magadha, his troops refuse to proceed, and Alexander returns to the Hydaspēs, causing the two cities which he had founded near it, and which had been damaged by the rains, to be repaired. He then prepares a fleet for the transport of a part of his troops down the river to the sea. Here he loses one of his greatest generals—Koinos. At the end of October the fleet sails. Alexander hastens the voyage on learning that the Malloi and Oxydrakai are preparing to resist him. Having reached the junction of the Akesinēs with the Hydaspēs, he makes an inroad into the country of the Sibi to prevent their aiding the Malloi. With one division of his army he invades the territories of the Malloi and captures a strongly fortified city to which they had fled (possibly Kot Kamālia). After taking other strongholds, he defeats the Malloi at the Hydraōtēs (Rāvi), near Multān, and then attacks one of their chief fortresses, in the capture of which he is wounded. Having received the submission of the Malloi and Oxydrakai, he continues his voyage to the confluence of the united streams of the Panjab with the Indus.