Paideia and its Role in the Cultures of Ancient Greek, Latin, and Ancient Persia by Estiphan Panoussi is a comparative study of how each civilization understood and practiced paideia—the formation of the human person through education, ethics, culture, and discipline. The book argues that paideia is not merely schooling, but a holistic system aimed at shaping character, intellect, moral responsibility, and civic virtue.
 
Panoussi examines Greek paideia as the cultivation of harmony between mind, body, and soul (e.g., kalokagathia), Roman paideia as moral formation tied to law, duty, and humanitas, and Ancient Persian paideia as an ethically charged system rooted in truth (asha), righteousness, discipline, and cosmic order. Through linguistic, philosophical, and historical analysis, he demonstrates that Persian educational ideals were as sophisticated and philosophically grounded as their Greek and Roman counterparts—yet often overlooked in Western scholarship.
 
The book ultimately reframes education as a civilizational worldview rather than a technical process, showing that each culture’s concept of paideia reflects its deepest assumptions about humanity, virtue, truth, and the purpose of life.