HistoVisual
Portrait of Socrates (c. 470 BC to 399 BC)
Antiquity | Athens, Greece

Socrates

Also known as: Socrates of Athens

Philosopher - Teacher - Founder of Western Philosophy

PhilosophyEducationPoliticsEthics
Born: c. 470 BC
Died: 399 BC
Era: Antiquity
Region: Athens, Greece
Birthplace: Athens
Socrates was an ancient Greek philosopher from Athens who is credited as the founder of Western philosophy and the first moral philosopher of the Western ethical tradition. He developed the Socratic method of inquiry, a form of cooperative dialogue that uses questioning to stimulate critical thinking and expose contradictions. He wrote nothing himself; his ideas are known through the writings of his students, notably Plato and Xenophon. Condemned to death by an Athenian jury on charges of impiety and corrupting the youth, he chose to drink hemlock rather than flee, accepting the judgment of the democratic court.

Map

Timeline

c. 470 BC Event

Born in Athens

Born to Sophroniscus, a stonemason, and Phaenarete, a midwife, in the deme of Alopece near Athens.

450 BC Event

Early Career as Stonemason

Worked as a stonemason in his youth, reportedly carving statues of the Graces, before turning entirely to philosophy.

432 BC Event

Military Service at Potidaea

Served as a hoplite in the Athenian army at the siege of Potidaea, earning praise for extraordinary endurance and bravery.

424 BC Event

Battle of Delium

Fought at the disastrous Athenian defeat at Delium; Plato records that Socrates' cool, unhurried retreat drew the admiration of observers on both sides.

423 BC Event

Mocked in Aristophanes' Clouds

Featured as a comic character in Aristophanes' play The Clouds, which contributed to his public image as a dangerous sophist.

422 BC Event

Campaign at Amphipolis

Participated in the Athenian campaign at Amphipolis during the Peloponnesian War, another difficult engagement during Athens' long conflict with Sparta.

406 BC Event

Refused to Condemn the Generals

As a member of the boule (council), he was the only one of 50 to refuse a vote for the illegal mass trial of the Arginusae generals.

403 BC Event

Refused Order of the Thirty Tyrants

Under the oligarchic Thirty Tyrants, refused to participate in the unjust arrest of Leon of Salamis, risking his own life.

399 BC Event

Trial and Execution

Tried before 501 Athenian jurors on charges of impiety and corrupting the youth; sentenced to death and calmly drank hemlock.

Family Tree

Parents

Sophroniscus

Father

fl. 5th century BC

Phaenarete

Mother

fl. 5th century BC

Subject & Siblings

Socrates

Self

c. 470 BC - 399 BC

Xanthippe

Wife

fl. 5th century BC

Spouses

Lamprocles

Son

Sophroniscus

Son

Menexenus

Son

Key Contributions

  1. Search Socratic Method

    Developed dialectical questioning as a tool to stimulate critical thinking and expose the contradictions in people's beliefs.

  2. Scale Moral Philosophy

    Pioneered the ethical tradition in philosophy, arguing that virtue is the highest good and that no one does wrong willingly.

  3. BookOpen Teacher of Plato

    Taught Plato, whose dialogues preserved Socratic thought and became the foundation of all subsequent Western philosophy.

  4. Shield Death for Principles

    Chose execution over exile or abandoning his philosophical mission, becoming philosophy's most enduring martyr.

Fun Facts

Zap

Inner Divine Voice

Socrates claimed to hear a divine inner voice (daimonion) that warned him away from wrong actions — a supernatural guide he referenced at his trial.

Frown

Notoriously Ugly

Ancient sources describe Socrates as physically unattractive — snub-nosed, bulging eyes, and stocky — yet magnetically compelling in personality.

Wind

Never Wore Shoes

Socrates was famous for going barefoot in all weather, including winter military campaigns across northern Greece.

Death

Execution by hemlock poisoning following an Athenian jury verdict

399 BC — Trial and Execution in Athens

Location

Location: The Prison of Athens, near the Agora

Burial: Athens, Greece

Those Involved

  • Plato

    Student who documented the trial in the Apology and immortalized Socrates' final hours in the Phaedo.

Impact

The trial of Socrates became one of the most famous in history. His calm acceptance of the death sentence, as recorded in Plato's Apology and Phaedo, created the enduring image of the philosopher as a martyr for truth and free inquiry. His execution haunted Plato and directly inspired the dialogues that formed the foundation of Western philosophy.

See Also

Other Figures

Related Sites

"The unexamined life is not worth living."

Plato, Apology, 38a, 399 BC