Socrates, one of the founders of Western philosophy, was put on trial in Athens in 399 BCE at the age of 70. He was charged with 'impiety' and 'corrupting the youth of Athens.' Socrates had become a controversial figure for his 'Socratic method'—relentlessly questioning the assumptions and logic of his fellow citizens, often making powerful men look foolish. Rather than flea or plead for mercy, Socrates defended his pursuit of truth, famously stating that 'the unexamined life is not worth living.' A jury of 501 Athenians found him guilty and sentenced him to death by drinking hemlock. His death turned him into a martyr for the cause of free inquiry. His student, Plato, recorded the trial in his dialogues, ensuring that Socrates’ philosophy and his commitment to critical thinking would influence the world for millennia.