Socrates, the Great Teacher for Kids Illustration

the Great Teacher

There were many teachers in ancient Athens. Socrates was one of the most famous. His method was to question. He questioned everything. He wanted his students to question everything. He asked questions like: "Are the stories about the gods real? How can we improve our government?"

A handful of wealthy nobles found his teaching methods unacceptable. They accused him of mocking the gods and challenging the Greek way of life in the city-state of Athens. They wanted him punished. Socrates was about seventy years old at the time. He had been teaching for a long time. He thought the whole thing was ridiculous.

In ancient Athens, anyone could demand a trial. There were rules, but if you followed the rules, sooner or later, you would end up in court. There, the accused would have a chance to defend themselves. This handful of wealthy nobles filed charges against Socrates. At the trial, Socrates refused to defend himself - defend himself from what? Since he did not defend himself in any way, the jury felt they had no choice but to find him guilty. The punishment for mocking the gods was death.

Socrates drank poison and killed himself. It was a sad day for educators and for free thinking people in ancient Athens.

How trials were conducted in ancient Athens
(with a comparison to US trials)

What is Philosophy?

More Famous Greeks