Hellenistic War Elephants used for other purposes?

[Andreas Johansson]

This paper thinks that the Syrian elephant died out in the 8th or 7th century BC.

While of little wargaming relevance, it also argues that it wasn't a descendant of Pleistocene Middle Eastern elephants, but a deliberate human introduction of the Middle Bronze Age, 1800 BC or so. The origin is said to be "Southeast Asia", but the authors' definition of that region seems to encompass the Indus Valley, and India sensu lato is surely far more likely than Burma or further east.

[Duncan Head]

Plus I have just found this paper on the decline of Ptolemaic elephant hunting:

Ptolemaic elephant hunting

If anyone ever needs to cite this paper, by the way, it's from Greece & Rome SECOND SERIES, Vol. 63, No. 2 (OCTOBER 2016), pp. 192-204.