Plato was born in Athens, Greece in about 427 B. Born into a family of aristocrats, Plato's father, Ariston, was said to have been a descendant of the royal kings of Athens. This might explain Plato's why as a young man, Plato's interest were in political leadership. He was disillusioned by the low level of politics in his time and felt that the only hope for Athens political state was to found a school and create a new kind of political character. Socrates, a great philosopher at that time, was said to have been the reason for Plato renouncing his political practice. .
Plato became a disciple of Socrates, following in his basic philosophy and dialectical style of debate. The relationship between Plato and Socrates was cut short by the death of Socrates at the hands of the Athenian democracy in 399 B.C. Afraid for his life; Plato left Athens and began to travel. Plato continued in the pursuit of truth through questions, answers and additional questions. Plato traveled around to many Greek cities in search of more knowledge and truth. It wasn't until about 385 B.C that Plato returned to Athens. There, he founded the Academy, which is said to be the first University in history. This school provided a comprehensive curriculum for those future scholars that would follow in Plato's path. .
The great philosopher, Plato wrote many dialogues, which can be defined as the parts of a literary or dramatic work that represents conversation. For him, dialogues were a part of his conception of philosophy. Although his works are not dated, they all come from one of three periods; the early, middle or late periods. Plato also wrote some letters, but his dialogues are what made him great. His early dialogues such as Lysis, (a discussion of friendship), and Book I of the Republic (a discussion of justice) were dedicated solely to the memory of Socrates. His middle to late while still using Socrates in them reflected Plato's own philosophical development.