 Few leaders throughout history have proven themselves adequate to claim likeness to Plato's philosopher king, an individual free from the lust and greed that so often tempts other, less worthy monarchs into wholesale debauchery and absolute corruption. Which of those great men and women of the past will heed Plato's call? Here we will name those three who have displayed the qualities characteristic of this selfless head of state. Before beginning, if topics such as eastern and western philosophy interest you, consider subscribing to the channel and checking out a few of my other videos. Now, what should be our litmus test to gauge who should stand atop our list? We should first consider what characteristics Plato set forth in the Republic. He said first and foremost the monarch in question should have an undying love of wisdom and a genuine thirst for philosophy. They should also be selfless, reliable, and have a willingness to live a simple life despite their high status. From an early age they should be subject to a demanding education and use their knowledge of goodness and virtue to help other citizens achieve these as far as possible. Most, if not all, of these characteristics must be present for those on our list. But I think it's important to note that while some of these individuals may not be philosophers in the Platonic sense, they are indeed lovers of wisdom and knowledge. Our list begins in 550 BCE following the Persian conquering of the Medes. This decisive victory marked the first union of the Iranian people in the beginning of the reign of Cyrus the Great. Hailed as the gentle conqueror, Cyrus was held in high regard by his countrymen and even well respected as a kind and just ruler by his enemies. Said to be perhaps one of the few deserving of his given title, the Great, Cyrus, while not a philosopher in the traditional Platonic sense, earns a spot on this list because of the keenness of his intelligence, his kindly disposition, extraordinary patience, selflessness, and discipline regardless of circumstance. His reign was marked by a sense of humanitarian equality, seemingly absent in prior generations and shamefully absent many generations thereafter. For example, while popular practice of his time was to conquer, slay, and enslave, Cyrus instead accepted and befriended those nations with all their cultural heritages intact. He also saw the abolishment of forced labor, a practice which took parts of the Western world 1800 years to match. Much of what we know about this archetypal leader of antiquity comes from the Greek historians Herodotus and Xenophon. In the ruins of Babylon around 1879, an artifact was uncovered. This artifact would be named the Cyrus cylinder and has been declared an ancient declaration of human rights. Cyrus's reign would come to an end approximately 20 years after its conception. Buried in Pasigutti, Iran, his epitaph reads as said by Plutarch, Oh man, whoever you are and wherever you come from, for I know you will come, I am Cyrus, who won the Persians their empire. Do not therefore begrudge me this bit of earth that covers my bones. The reign of Cyrus the Great most certainly changed the course of political history for the better. For our second philosopher king, we fast forward nearly 1,000 years to yet another Persian king. Known most commonly as Anushu Ruan or the immortal soul, this man was Khazro I. Often hailed by contemporaries as the new Cyrus, Khazro's reign began in 531 A.D.E., during which a sort of Persian renaissance took root where knowledge grew, culture thrived, and philosophy became commonplace. Khazro earns his place on this list due to his keen interest in literature and philosophy, most notably Neoplatonism. This love for philosophy was coupled with his goodness of character and exemplary virtue. Having studied under notable individuals such as Mar Bar Sama, Paul the Persian, and the Syrian bishop of Kwardu, Khazro certainly meets Plato's educational requirement. Following the Emperor Justinian's abolishment of the Neoplatonist schools and Athens, thousands of refugees migrated to Persia. Because of his keen interest in Platonic philosophy, they came hailing Khazro as Plato's philosopher king. Unfortunately, following his death in 579, his ideals quickly faded, thus putting an end to this renaissance period. Who is the most deserving of the title philosopher king? Which individual will stand at the top of our list? Here at last we reach our king of kings and, as said by historian Michael Grant, was a man hailed as the noblest of all the men who, by sheer intelligence and force of character, have prized and achieved goodness for its own sake and not for any reward. This could be no one else but the 16th Emperor of the Roman Empire, Marcus Aurelius. What qualities did he possess that would place him above the likes of Cyrus and Khazro? Luckily, there is no shortage of greatness here. Through floods, wars, famine, pestilence, and revolt, the greatness and character of this man never wavered, and his devotion to the state and its people remained. Fighting wars by day and philosophizing by night, Marcus Aurelius maintained his simple way of living even throughout his reign. He who owned everything the world had to offer, whose very word was absolute law, abstained from ostentation, and remained true to his philosophic ideals, even when lesser individuals would have succumbed to debauchery. No matter the circumstance, he upheld his promises and never went back on his word. Known to be kind, compassionate, and disciplined beyond human limitation, Marcus Aurelius was well respected by his contemporaries and even admired now 2,000 years after his death. Left behind are his private reflections, titled The Meditations, which lay out how one might go about living the best possible life regardless of circumstance. There is no question that Marcus Aurelius stands as the living contradiction to that most famous of quotes by Lord Acton. Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. In my opinion, he stands at the top of past monarchs, unrivaled in virtue, and strength of will. Which ruler do you agree should be at the top of this list? Do you agree with my choices? Comment below with your selection for the most deserving of the title, Philosopher King. Thank you for joining me and exalting these individuals that were both great and good. If you enjoyed this video and would like to see more content on Eastern and Western Philosophy, make sure to subscribe and hit the notification bell. As always, thank you for talking philosophy with me. Until next time.