Socrates died on 15 February 399 BCE in Athens, aged about 71. An Athenian philosopher, Socrates wrote nothing himself and is known mainly through the dialogues of his student Plato and the writings of Xenophon and Aristophanes. He spent his days in the public places of Athens questioning people about virtue, justice and knowledge, using a method of persistent questioning that is now known as the Socratic method. This made him many enemies, and in 399 BCE he was tried on charges of impiety and of corrupting the youth. He was sentenced to death and drank hemlock, rather than escaping from prison. His life and death had a great influence on Western philosophy.
Before and after
- from 5th century BCE to 10th centuryKingdom of Aksum
- 5th century BCEOrigins of Temple of Zeus in Olympia
- 5th century BCEFounding of Aetolian League
- 5th century BCERise of Cynicism
- 15 February 399 BCEDeath of Socrates
- from 398 BCE to 378 BCETwenty-ninth Dynasty of Egypt
- from 395 BCE to 387 BCECorinthian War
- c. 391 BCEThe Gauls sack Rome
- from 387 BCE to 529 CEConstruction of Platonic Academy
More in Art, literature & culture
- c. 2,100s BCEEpic of Gilgamesh
- c. 1,500 BCEOrigins of Zoroastrianism
- c. 750s BCEThe Homeric epics are composed
- 6th century BCEOrigins of Judaism
- from 448 BCE to 433 BCEConstruction of the Parthenon begins
- 42 CEOrigins of Coptic Orthodox Church
The era
This moment belongs to the Ancient civilizations (3,200 BCE to 500 CE), writing, cities and empires. You can also browse everything in the 4th century BCE.