Trial of Socrates

Quick Facts: Who was Trial of Socrates?

Subject:

Trial of Socrates

Known for:

Philosopher whose trial in 399 BC challenged Athenian values of impiety and youth corruption.

Verified Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Trial of Socrates (399 BC) was held to determine the philosopher's guilt of two charges against the city of Athens: asebeia (impiety) and corruption of the youth. The accusers cited two impious acts: "failing to acknowledge the gods of the city" and "introducing new deities". The death sentence of Socrates was the legal consequence of asking politico-philosophic questions of his students, which resulted in the two accusations of moral corruption and impiety. At trial, the majority of the dikasts (male-citizen jurors chosen by lot) voted to convict him of the two charges; then, consistent with common legal practice, they voted to determine his punishment and agreed to a sentence of death to be executed by Socrates's drinking a poisonous beverage of hemlock. His students offer accounts of the trial and execution in the Apology of Socrates by Plato, the Apology of Socrates to the Jury by Xenophon, and Xenophon's Memorabilia.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Modern interpretations include The Trial of Socrates (1988) by the journalist I. F. Stone, Why Socrates Died: Dispelling the Myths (2009) by the Classics scholar Robin Waterfield, and The Shadows of Socrates: The Heresy, War, and Treachery behind the Trial of Socrates (2024) by the scholar Matt Gatton. Before the philosopher Socrates was tried for moral corruption and impiety, the citizens of Athens knew him as an intellectual and moral gadfly of their society. In the comic play, The Clouds (423 BC), Aristophanes represents Socrates as a sophistic philosopher who teaches the young man Pheidippides how to formulate arguments that justify striking and beating his father. Despite Socrates denying he had any relation with the Sophists, the playwright indicates that Athenians associated the philosophic teachings of Socrates with Sophism. As philosophers, the Sophists were considered by some in the era to be men of ambiguous reputation; in the words of one contemporary commentator, "they were [seen as] a set of charlatans that appeared in Greece in the fifth century BC, and earned ample livelihood by imposing on public credulity: professing to teach virtue, they really taught the art of fallacious discourse, and meanwhile propagated immoral practical doctrines." Besides The Clouds, the comic play The Wasps (422 BC) also depicts inter-generational conflict, between an older man and a young man.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Such representations of inter-generational social conflict among the men of Athens, especially in the decade from 425 to 415 BC, can reflect contrasting positions regarding opposition to or support for the Athenian invasion of Sicily. Many Athenians blamed the teachings of the Sophists and of Socrates for instilling the younger generation with a morally nihilistic, disrespectful attitude towards their society. Socrates left no written works; however, his student and friend, Plato, wrote Socratic dialogues, featuring Socrates as the protagonist. As a teacher, competing intellectuals resented Socrates's elenctic examination method for intellectual inquiry, because its questions threatened their credibility as men of wisdom and virtue. It has sometimes been claimed that Socrates described himself as the "gadfly" of Athens which, like a sluggish horse, needed to be aroused by his "stinging".

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1988: 1988 Milestone — Modern interpretations include The Trial of Socrates (1988) by the journalist I.
2. 2009: 2009 Milestone — Stone, Why Socrates Died: Dispelling the Myths (2009) by the Classics scholar Robin Waterfield, and The Shadows of Socrates: The Heresy, War, and Treachery behind the Trial of Socrates (2024) by the scholar Matt Gatton.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Trial of Socrates

True or False: “The primary charges brought against Socrates during his trial were impiety and corruption of the youth.”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): These two specific accusations formed the legal basis for the proceedings held in 399 BC.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abdul Basit 'Abd us-Samad — Historical peer (Died in 1988) (1988): Renowned Egyptian Quran reciter, celebrated for his melodious and emotionally engaging style.
• Abdul Ghaffar Khan — Historical peer (Died in 1988) (1988): Pioneering nonviolent activist and founder of the Khudai Khidmatgar movement.
• Aage Bohr — Historical peer (Died in 2009) (2009): Pioneering Danish nuclear physicist, Nobel laureate for atomic structure theory.
• Abdurrahman Wahid — Historical peer (Died in 2009) (2009): Influential Indonesian politician, Islamic leader, and fourth President known for pluralism.
• Ahmed Mohamed Mohamoud — Historical peer (Died in 2024) (2024): Somaliland politician, served as President from 2010 to 2017.
• Akira Toriyama — Historical peer (Died in 2024) (2024): Pioneering manga artist, creator of Dr. Slump and the global phenomenon, Dragon Ball.

Frequently Asked Questions about Trial of Socrates