In 428 BC, Plato was born to Ariston and Perictione in either Athens or Aegina, the exact location is unknown, and was originally named Aritsocles. He was the one of four children. Plato’s father was a descendent of the king of Athens; his mother was the sister to two important figures in the Thirty Tyrants. Beginning in 404 BC, the Peloponnesian War lasted only a year, and was followed with the democratic leadership of the tyrants. Before the war, Plato began to study under some of the most important educational figures of Athens at the time. He excelled in all areas, including wrestling, where his coach gave him the nickname Platon, due to his broad size.
In 408 BC, Plato begins his study under Socrates. Almost ten years later, Socrates is condemned to death, an event that forever affected Plato. After that, Plato leaves Athens, roaming the European continent, and possibly even down into the African continent. During the years following Socrates’ death, he composed The Phaedo, which documented the last days of Socrates. He then went on to produce the Socrates dialogues, which includes the Apology; the Middle Dialogues, which include the Republic; and the late dialogues, which includes the Sophist. In 388 BC, he returns to Greece, and establishes the Academy a short two years later. It was at this time when Plato was asked to instruct Dionysus II. While Plato created the Academy, Aristotle was born (384 BC). Plato is forced out of Syracuse, because of his friendship with Dion. Dionysus II saw Dion as a political threat, and exiled both he and Plato.
Once exiled from Syracuse, Plato takes on a new pupil, Aristotle. After five years of teaching Aristotle and being in exile, Plato returns to Syracuse to reconcile the rift between Dion and Dionysus II. In 347 BC, Plato dies the author of the tertalogies and modern reason thinker.
