Socrates was born in Athens around 470 BCE and lived during a period of enormous political and cultural change in ancient Greece. He became known for engaging people in conversations about morality, knowledge, justice and virtue.
Unlike many philosophers who wrote books or established formal schools, Socrates taught primarily through conversation. He questioned people about claims they believed they understood and encouraged them to examine their own assumptions.
Socrates himself wrote nothing that survives today. Much of what is known about him comes from writers such as Plato and Xenophon, as well as references in the works of Aristophanes.
His influence became enormous after his death. Plato, his famous student, presented Socrates as the central figure in many philosophical dialogues, helping preserve the Socratic tradition for later generations.