Socrates Against Athens: Philosophy on Trial, James Colaiaco's 2001 study from Routledge, is a dedicated scholarly examination of the 399 BCE trial of Socrates, situating it within Athenian democracy, the polis ideal and the city's recent restoration after the Thirty Tyrants, and addressing directly the Socratic problem, the difficulty of recovering the historical man beneath Plato, Xenophon and Aristophanes's differing portraits. Its strength is that dedicated focus on the trial itself as a companion to Plato's own Apology and Crito. Its limit is that it is one historian's argued synthesis of inherently conflicting ancient sources, not a claim to resolve what Socrates himself believed, which the book itself does not claim to settle.
Facts
Assessment
Reliability Tier1
James Colaiaco's Socrates Against Athens: Philosophy on Trial, Routledge, 2001, the top tier reflecting a dedicated scholarly examination of the trial itself, situating it in its Athenian political context. Its limit is that it is one historian's argued synthesis of inherently conflicting ancient sources, a limit the book itself acknowledges rather than claiming to resolve. NotesA dedicated scholarly study of the 399 BCE trial itself as an essential companion to Plato's Apology and Crito, situating it in Athenian democracy, the polis ideal and the city's recent restoration after the Thirty Tyrants. Use for the trial's historical context and the Socratic problem (the difficulty of recovering the historical man beneath Plato, Xenophon and Aristophanes's differing portraits), not as a claim to resolve what Socrates himself believed.
Citation
AuthorJames A. Colaiaco
PublisherRoutledge
Publication Year2001
URLhttps://www.routledge.com/Socrates-Against-Athens-Philosophy-on-Trial/Colaiaco/p/book/9780415926546
Source Typeacademic monograph
Cross-Tradition Connections
Associated With
Athens, Cities This source names Athens directly: "Socrates Against Athens: Philosophy on Trial, James Colaiaco's 2001 study from Routledge, is a dedicated scholarly examination of the 399 BCE trial of Socrates, situating it within Athenian..."
Claims Backed By This Source (13 claims)
This source backs 13 claims across the atlas. As facts: 9 well-attested. As cited relationships: 1 holds, 1 critiqued Here. Plus 2 entities citing it as a general reference with no single fact or relationship attached.
Disposition By Topic
- Sources, 9 claims: 8 well-attested, 1 holds.
- Articles, 2 claims: 1 well-attested, 1 general references.
- Historical Figures, 2 claims: 1 critiqued Here, 1 general references.
Reader Challenges (0 open reader challenges)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.
View At A Past Year
The atlas records no dated fact of its own for this entry, so there is no other year to choose.