Plato was born in one of the wealthiest and politically active families in Athens around 428 BC. He joined the circle surrounding Socrates around the age of twenty and left Athens after Socrates' execution in 399, travelling to the Mediterranean world--teaching and learning. Plato returned to Athens...

Plato was born in one of the wealthiest and politically active families in Athens around 428 BC. He joined the circle surrounding Socrates around the age of twenty and left Athens after Socrates' execution in 399, travelling to the Mediterranean world--teaching and learning. Plato returned to Athens sometime around 388 BC and established the first institution of higher learning in the Western world--the Academy. He laid the foundations of Western philosophy and science along with his student Aristotle, who was the other exceptional classical philosopher. Proven to be one of the most influential works of political theory and philosophy, The Republic is Plato's best-known work. Written around 380 BC it is by far the best introduction to his thought and contains many of the most important Platonic doctrines.