Socrates was an ancient Greek philosopher who is widely considered one of the founding figures of Western philosophy. He lived in Athens during the 5th century BC and was known for his unique teaching method of engaging his students in dialogue to question their assumptions and beliefs. Socrates was famously sentenced to death by drinking hemlock for allegedly corrupting the youth of Athens and introducing new deities. Despite his controversial legacy, Socrates' teachings on ethics, wisdom, and self-knowledge have had a lasting influence on philosophy and continue to be studied and debated to this day. He is also known for his famous saying, "The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing."