Alexander's Indian Campaign: The River That Stopped Him

The History of Greece: Philosophy, Empire, and Endless Reinvention — Fexingo History · Sep 6, 2026 · 8m · transcript

After crushing the Persian Empire and marching into Egypt, Alexander the Great pushed eastward into the Indian subcontinent, reaching the banks of the Hyphasis River in 326 BCE. This episode explores the critical moment when his veteran Macedonian army refused to march further, marking the easternmost extent of his conquests. We examine the psychological toll of years of campaigning, the formidable challenge posed by the Nanda Empire, and the logistical nightmare of navigating the monsoon seasons. Through the accounts of Arrian and Plutarch, we reconstruct the tense council of war where…