Justice is described as a concept of moral correctness based on ethics, rationality, law, natural law, religion, fairness, or fairness. The people of ancient Egypt and ancient Mesopotamia also believed and relied on this concept. Rulers, if not honest and just, were often eliminated by their subjects or their enemies. There were many great kings and pharaohs of antiquity who were simply their own kingdoms, and these often went down in history. Yet those kings and pharaohs blinded by their own selfishness often became just as famous. Two men, Akhenaten of ancient Egypt and Gilgamesh, king of Uruk, were such rulers. They were powerful and cunning individuals, but they let their selfish nature ruin their ability to be a great leader. Gilgamesh was said to be the offspring of a god and a human woman. His handsome features, great strength and cunning intelligence were supposedly the best in the country. However, he did not rule his kingdom justly. He often took advantage of his citizens for his own personal pleasures. The following quote: “For Gilgamesh, the Broad-Marted king of Uruk, open is the veil of the people for choice. He will have relations with the "destined wife", first him, then her husband. (Gilgamesh 17)”, was an episode of this type. He took it upon himself to sleep with the new wives of his people, saying that the gods had decreed it. After meeting Enkidu, a desert boy, he began to show compassion. Enkidu was outraged by his behavior with his wives. He, during his time with Enkidu, begins to show a small sign of morality towards his people... but this is quickly cut short by the death of his young friend. Afterwards, it enters a deep phase of mourning, forcing its citizens to do so as well. He too is... in the center of the card... he is a ruler. He let his people suffer and fall because of it. “As for Egypt, it lay full of wounds, bleeding under the weight of our mistakes. (Akhenaten 129)”Both Gilgamesh and Akhenaten were great and brilliant men. However, as rulers, they let their own selfishness lead them to complete failure. They had abandoned justice and equality for their people... and instead left them to wallow in misery because of their own desires or pleasures. Gilgamesh and Akhenaten are not famous, simply because they ruined their kingdoms. They are famous so that others do not repeat the same mistakes. The great Pharaoh of Egypt and the king of Uruk have a lesson to teach us. We cannot let our narcissistic ideals get in the way of what really needs to be done. In leadership positions, those beneath us absolutely rely on our guidance. If we fail them, we are ultimately failing ourselves.