Podcasts · Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle: The Thinkers Who Changed History — Fexingo History
Socrates the Hoplite Revisited: The General Who Saved Him
· 7:59 · S5 E204
Episode Socrates the Hoplite Revisited: The General Who Saved Him
In this episode, Lucas and Luna explore the pivotal but often overlooked figure of General Laches, the Athenian commander who fought alongside Socrates at the Battle of Delium in 424 BC. They dive into the historical record—how Thucydides describes the chaotic Athenian retreat, how Socrates's steady retreat caught the attention of Alcibiades, and how Plato later immortalized Laches in a dialogue about courage. The conversation weaves in the broader context of the Peloponnesian War, the shifting alliances of the era, and the personal bond between soldier and philosopher. Lucas and Luna also discuss the nature of courage as seen through the eyes of the men who fought, and how Socrates's military service shaped his later philosophy. The episode touches on the tension between Socrates's public image as a gadfly and his private life as a disciplined soldier, and it reflects on what it means to be remembered—not for winning, but for standing firm. A listener-supported history podcast, this episode shows how one general's courage became a philosophical lesson for the ages.
#Socrates #Laches #Delium #PeloponnesianWar #Thucydides #Alcibiades #Plato #AncientGreece #Athens #Courage #Philosophy #BattleOfDelium #Boeotia #Hoplite #SocraticDialogue #History #FexingoHistory #GreekHistory
Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo
Links in the notes 1
Transcript
Shows are listed from Apple Podcasts' charts and directory, and Podcast Index where it is used. Every show and episode belongs to its publisher and plays from the publisher's own feed; this site hosts none of them. Explicit shows are for adult profiles only, and children’s profiles hear only children’s shows. More about this list.