The development of international relations in ancient times and its legal and philosophical foundations
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Abstract
Studying the evolution of international relations in ancient times is an essential introduction to understanding the foundations upon which modern political and diplomatic practices are built. The early historical experiences of city-states and empires reveal the origins of laws, alliances, and balances that still form the core of realist and liberal theories in international relations. Therefore, this paper aims to analyze the philosophical and legal roots of international relations in three pivotal civilizations: Paranoiac Egypt, Greek Greece, and ancient Rome. The aim is to highlight how intellectual and value-based foundations shaped patterns of interaction between states and peoples in ancient times and established diplomatic and legal traditions that remain influential today. The study concludes that these three civilizations produced distinct philosophical and legal foundations: universal justice in Egypt, the balance between idealism and realism in Greece, and the legal institution in Rome. Together, these foundations formed the first building blocks of concepts that continue to constitute the core of modern international relations, such as sovereignty, legitimacy, international law, and the balance of power. Hence, the researcher believes that re-reading these experiences offers cognitive value for understanding the continuity of the interaction between power and values in global politics across the ages.