A Comparative Study on the Literary Backgrounds in the Formation of Paideia in the Ancient Greece and Doctrinal and Educational Teachings in the Ancient Persia: Emphasizing on Iliad, Odyssey and Shahname

The purpose of this study is to investigate and compare the literary backgrounds of the formation of Paideia in ancient Greece and the implications of doctrinal and educational teachings in the ancient Persia. The main sources are Iliad, Odyssey and Shahname which are studied by the method of analysis (conceptual, documentary, and comparative). At first, the concepts, backgrounds, types and fields of the formation of Paideia in Greece and educational teachings in Persia were examined in terms of physical, artistic, moral, and intellectual dimensions. Then, commonalities and differences between them were extracted. In terms of commonalities, the epic aspects overcome other literary genres. As well, in both cultures, allegory was used in education. In the physical dimension, in the literature of the both cultures, a transcendent human was conceived in terms of a healthy body and a pure spirit. In the moral dimension, humane teachings and examples of chivalry and high ethics were introduced through the stories and epic poems. In the intellectual dimension of the ancient Persia, wisdom was given great importance. In the Greek literature too, the topic of rationality and its ramifications were at issue. This rationality is expressed in terms of the cultural and educational contexts of the two nations, as in Shahnameh, the most significant signs of wisdom are brief and meaningful talk. In the Greek Paideia, the effects of this wisdom are expressed in philosophy. Integrating wisdom and tolerance with people, valuable work, justice, the balance in behavior and life through wisdom are of common aspects in the both cultures. In terms of difference, in the Greek literature, components are more detailed and more functional, and myths are more individualized, while in Persia there were more general teachings and collective myths. In the artistic aspect, we see wider concepts in Persian literature compared to the Greek culture.