Socrates was sentenced to DEATH on this day, 2422 years ago. Why did Ancient Athens kill its wisest man? How did this become history's most famous case of poisoning? The death of Socrates is a mystery because it could've EASILY been avoided. Let's dig in:

The common assumption that Socrates was a free speech martyr is incorrect. Socrates had contempt for free speech. The trial of Socrates was actually elite in-fighting. But the death of Socrates was not state-sponsored murder as much as suicide by proxy. Find out why👇

In 399 BC, Anytus, a politician, charged Socrates with corrupting the young and disrespecting the Gods. Anytus fled Athens mere years ago when Critias, a STUDENT of Socrates, made himself tyrant of Athens. Democracy returned but Anytus didn't exactly have love for Socrates.

Socrates was also associating with - teaching? corrupting? - the son of Anytus. Now imagine you are Anytus - there is this guy whose students tend to destroy Athenian democracy or conspire with enemies (Alcibiades, also Socrates' student). Now your son is hanging out with him.

So Socrates is charged - but death is by no means pre-destined.

Socrates could've skipped town.

He could've used a free speech defense (Ancient Athens scholar I.F. Stone wrote it would've worked).

Could've suggested a plausible alternative to death.

But he chose hemlock. Why?

It is extraordinary to see how Socrates antagonized his jury. When it was time to suggest alternatives to the death penalty, he suggested that he be crowned a hero. He demanded feasts reserved for foreign dignitaries and Olympic winners. And his arrogance didn't end there...

Next, Socrates said he should be fined "1 mina" - a laughably small sum. This shocked Plato and others, who begged him to raise the amount to "30 mina." He did, but the jury had had enough. More people voted for the death penalty than those who initially voted to convict him...

Socrates had one final chance to escape from jail, one night before his death. He turned it down. Crito, a Socrates loyalist, blamed him for being suicidal. And then Socrates, a lifelong devotee of reason, started giving strange justifications for his actions.

First Socrates said he was duty-bound to do what Athens asked him to - after a LIFETIME of nonconformity. Then he said death would free his soul from bodily shackles and make him perceive the truth as is. Then he said he was didn't wanna experience the infirmities of old age.

But perhaps Socrates was just a victim of the Socratic Method?

Socrates left people feeling dejected and confused with his incessant questioning.

Meno, a student, called him a "flat torpedo sea-fish" that numbs anyone upon contact.

And this numbness finally reached Socrates?