|
428/7 |
[Archonship of Diotimus] Plato born in Athens, the son of Ariston (son of
Aristokles, direct descendant of Solon's brother Exekestiades); his mother was
Periktione (sister of Charmides and cousin of Kritias). Plato had two brothers
and a sister. His mother married a second time, to Pyrilampes, a member of the
Periclean group. |
|
431-421 |
The Great Peloponnesian War (Part I). Young Plato received a musical and
gymnastic education; he wrote juvenile epigrams and tragedies, but burned
them once he became associated with Socrates. |
|
416-411 |
Great Peloponnesian War (Part II). He was active politically (
Letter 7
). His uncle and cousin were among the Thirty Tyrants (404/3), who terrorized
the Athenian state after Athens lost the war to Sparta in 404. |
|
411 |
Conservative
coup d' état
(The 400), followed later in the summer by a democratic restoration led by
Alcibiades. |
|
399 |
Trial and execution of Socrates. Plato was present at the trial, but not
allowed to speak. Plato and other disciples removed themselves to Megara, next
door to Athens. There was later a 'Megarean School' of Socratic philosophy:
Elkleides of Megara (author of a
Crito, Eroticus, Aeschines, Alcibiades
), Bryson and Stilpo. |
|
395-94 |
Plato served in the military on two occasions (the Corinthian war?). |
|
399-390 |
First Period
of Plato's literary activity.
|
Laches |
Protagoras |
Apology |
|
Charmides |
Hippias Minor |
Crito |
|
Euthyphro |
Ion |
Gorgias |
|
Lysis |
Hippias Major |
|
|
|
390-388 |
First Journey
to Sicily and Italy (early 390 to summer 388). Probably Plato's first real
attention to Pythagoreanism, which was undergoing a renaissance in South Italy
under the leadership of Archytas of Tarentum. First acquaintance with Dion of
Syracuse (brother-in-law of Dionysius I) and with the young Dionysius II (who
became tyrant in 367 on the death of his father). Plato departed to Aegina, on
orders of Dionysius I. |
|
388-367 |
Second Period
of Plato's literary activity: foundation of the Academy:
|
Meno |
Symposium |
Phaedrus |
|
Cratylus |
Phaedo |
Parmenides |
|
Euthydemus |
Republic |
Theatetus |
|
Menexenus |
|
|
|
|
366-365 |
Second Journey
to Sicily (exile and restoration of Dion). |
|
365-361
|
|
|
361-360 |
Third Journey
to Sicily, on the invitation of Dion. Plato is forced to live outside the
palace at the camp of the mercenaries (as a hostage for Dion's good behavior?).
Dion decides on revolution, but Plato refused to participate. With the
intervention of Archytas of Tarentum, Plato is allowed to return to Athens
(summer, 360). |
|
357-354 |
Dion's government of Syracuse, aided and eventually terminated by pupils from
the Academy (Kallipos the Academic). |
|
360-348/7 |
Last Period
of Plato's literary activity:
|
Philebus |
Kritias |
Letter 7 |
|
Timaeus |
The Laws |
|
|
