Kautilya & Thucydides

Even though Kautilya's "Arthashastra" is more known as a treatise on statecraft & Thucydides' "History of the Peloponnesian War" is considered the first accurate objective history, there is a striking similarity of views in both works, probably because Kautilya's work is believed to be composed in the 3rd Century B.C., Thucydides's work is believed to be from the 4th Century B.C.

Arthashastra has chapters on foreign policy, defence & war, going into details like neighbouring countries being allies or enemies & how & when to enter into treaties with allies. Both in India & Greece, there were vassal kings, who would pay tribute. So how to plan joint activities with them & start campaigns are minutely discussed.

"An enemy's destruction shall be brought about even at the cost of great losses in men, materials & wealth." (7.13.33) advises Kautilya. A Corinthian, an ally of the Spartans, urges them "Your inactivity has done enough harm. Give your allies the help you promised & invade Attica at once." (1.5.71) His advice was heeded & Sparta entered into the Peloponnesian wars against Athens, which lasted for 27 years. Even though Thucydides himself served as a General in the Athenian army, it did not prevent him from writing an impartial history of the war.

As Kautilya was writing about a landlocked country, the armed forces were divided into infantry, cavalry, chariots & elephants. The Greek forces consisted of infantry & the navy as they were surrounded by sea. But apart from these differences, the viewpoints are remarkably similar, proving the adage "Great minds think alike."