Plutarch and the leadership cone of history
Plutarch’s monumental work “Parallel Lives” could equally have been called: A guide of comparative leadership.
“Parallel Lives” is a series of biographies of famous men, arranged in pairs to illuminate their common moral virtues or failings. Written in the early 2nd century BC by the Greek Roman biographer Lucius Mestrius Plutarchus, Plutarch to posterity, this work consists of twenty-three pairs of biographies, each pairing a Greek with a Roman, and four single biographies. Think wine and cheese for history’s exemplary. The objective was to offer examples of good and bad character, drawn from both the Greek and Roman worlds, to educate and inspire moral improvement in readers by putting them in contact with models of leadership drawn from distant and recent history (and occasionally legendary). Plutarch knew how to tell a compelling story.
Each pair consists of one Greek and one Roman biography. For example, the lives of Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar are paired, highlighting their similarities and differences. After each pair, Plutarch often includes a comparison or synkrisis, where he directly compares the two figures, discussing their virtues and vices, and drawing moral lessons.
There are 50 biographies in all, 46 of which are paired together. The rest are single biographies. And of the 50 historical figures covered, all held political or military leadership roles.
Among the Roman figures, we find Julius Caesar, Marcus Cato the Younger, Cicero, Gaius Marius, and Mark Antony, each embodying various aspects of political and military leadership. On the Greek side, the work explores the lives of Alexander the Great, Pericles, Themistocles, Demosthenes, and Lycurgus, highlighting their contributions to military strategy, statesmanship, oratory, and legal reform.
Plutarch remains timeless because leadership is timeless. The world may be different today than it was 2,100 years ago, but the leadership models, types and patterns recognised these days are not much different from what Plutarch is describing.
Plutarch may use the language of historical narrative, but what he is proposing are frameworks for understanding what makes a leader great, the kind of person whose legacy remains strong centuries later - and from whom much can be learned and applied in any age.
One prominent framework which emerges out of Plutarch’s storytelling is transformational leadership, embodied by figures like Alexander the Great and Pericles. Transformational leaders inspire and motivate followers by articulating a compelling vision and fostering an environment of intellectual stimulation and personal growth. Alexander’s charismatic leadership and strategic vision united a vast empire, while Pericles’ vision for Athens’ cultural and political advancement led to the city’s Golden Age.
Another significant leadership model evident in Plutarch’s work is that of servant leadership, which emphasizes the leader’s role in serving their followers and prioritizing their needs. This is exemplified by figures like Marcus Cato the Younger and Numa Pompilius, the legendary king of Rome. Cato’s unwavering commitment to stoic principles and public service reflected his dedication to the greater good over personal gain. Numa, as a king, focused on religious and moral reforms to cultivate a just and harmonious society.
Finally, Plutarch also outlines something which might be called the ethical leadership model, where leaders are guided by a strong moral compass and integrity. This is seen in the lives of leaders like Demosthenes and Cicero, who, despite facing immense challenges, remained steadfast in their commitment to ethical principles and the rule of law. Demosthenes’ passionate defense of Athenian democracy against Macedonian dominance and Cicero’s efforts to uphold the values of the Roman Republic underscore the importance of ethical conduct in leadership.
I like to think that Plutarch would’ve been more comfortable talking leadership and impact in front of business, political and military leaders rather than quibbling over historical detail with scholars in a university basement. And yet, he’s read by the latter and ignored by the former, with his own impact diminshed in areas that would greatly benefit from his learnings. So before you pick up another Covey, Goleman, Maxwell or Drucker, stop by Alcibiades, Themistocles and Camillus for a leadership insight and a great story.