Socrates' trial and death together form an iconic moment in Western civilization. The picture we have of it - created by his immediate followers and perpetuated in countless works of literature and art ever since - is that a noble man was put to death in a fit of folly by the ancient Athenian democracy. But an icon, an image, is not reality. The trial was, in part, a response to troubled times - a catastrophic war and turbulent social changes - and so provides a good lens through which to explore the history of the period; the historical facts allow us to strip away some of the veneer that has for so long denied us glimpses of the real Socrates. Written by a scholar, but not only for scholars, this is an accessible, authoritative account of one of the defining periods of Western civilization.
| ISBN: | 9780571235513 |
| Publication date: | 18th April 2024 |
| Author: | Robin Waterfield |
| Publisher: | Faber & Faber |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Pagination: | 288 pages |
| Genres: |
Philosophical traditions and schools of thought Ancient history |