The trial and death of Socrates are symbolic moments in the history of Western civilization. Our understanding of those events - shaped by his followers and captured in countless works of literature and art - is that the ancient Athenian democracy condemned an aristocrat to death in a frenzy of folly. However, the prevailing perception is not necessarily the true one.

The charges brought against him for impiety and corruption of the youth were potentially fatal in themselves, but his prosecutors also claimed or insinuated that Socrates was an elitist who surrounded himself with politically undesirable individuals. Furthermore, as Robin Waterfield demonstrates, these accusations contained a significant amount of truth.

In part, the trial was a response to a turbulent era marked by a devastating war and sweeping social changes, so it serves as a lens through which to explore that specific historical period. The historical events, in turn, allow us to see beyond the myth and approach the real Socrates.

The book "Socrates: His Life, His Death" provides an authoritative account of one of the most defining periods in Western civilization.