The Development of Leaders in Ancient China, Rome, and Persia

Abstract

Each society holds a unique perspective of leadership and the goal of education in producing leaders. Education has played a critical role in developing leaders in both ancient China (Feudal Age, 1500 BCE - 221 BCE and the First Empire 221 BCE - 221 CE) and ancient Rome (Republican Rome, 509 BCE - 27 BCE and the early Roman Empire, 27 BCE - 285 CE) as the production of leaders was the primary purpose of education under each regime. Ancient Chinese educational philosophy was single-mindedly geared toward enlightening students to the wisdom of the ages because they believed that, through this enlightenment, great leaders were created. The ancient Roman system, in contrast, moved from an initial disdain for formal teaching to valuing schools of rhetoric and law in support of the Roman conception of the orator as the ideal leader. The author concludes that a uniformity of mission, culture, and leadership education contributed to the longevity of the Chinese system of government just as dissonance between these elements contributed to the eventual collapse of the Roman Empire. Comparing the above with the Persian system of education for leadership, the author uses the history of ancient Persia (6000 BCE - 651 CE).