I hope this is not too vague of a question and that it actually makes sense in my phrasing...

I know that plenty of ancient civilizations had leaders - and I understand the idea of the strongest in the civilization being the leader. But when did people begin treating the leadership position as a hereditary position? Does it have to do with religion and many rulers being considered to have been chosen by god?

I just find it interesting that even though different civilizations developed at the same time in different corners of the world, they all came up with similar concepts about leadership.