Mogens Herman Hansen

The Trial of Sokrates: From the Athenian Point of View

This study reconstructs the trial of Socrates, especially, the case raised by the accusers. The first part discusses the sources, in particular, the evaluation by Xenophon’s Memorabilia. The second part of the study reconstructs the trial based on a new assessment of sources. The third part discusses the political aspects of the trial, arguing that having raised political accusations against Socrates was not necessarily a violation of the amnesty of 403. Moreover, a prosopographical study of the social circle around Socrates shows that a high number of his “friends” were citizens who had joined the oligarchic revolution 411 and 404-403 and had been convicted of treason and / or impiety. Finally, a pseudo-Platonic dialogue between Socrates and Anytus in which Socrates has to admit that democracy is the best constitution is presented.