Socrates was a philosopher of ancient Greece, who lived from 469 to 399 bc.
He believed that people should speak out against what seemed to be wrong and that men should examine their environment to see what was missing and help to put things right.
He didn’t mind upsetting the people in authority as he wanted to revolutionise the common man’s way of thinking.
For a while he was able to preach his word without being challenged, but then the government of Athens changed from an enlightened rule to one of repression.
Therefore a number of Greek noblemen decided to put him on trial and it was decided to have him put to death.
He was compelled to drink a cup of poisonous hemlock.