Empedocles · Socrates Were Empedocles and Socrates alive at the same time? Yes. Empedocles and Socrates were alive at the same time, from c. 470 BC to c. 434 BC. Empedocles5th century BC Greek philosopherBorn c. 494 BC · died c. 434 BCSocrates5th-century BCE Greek philosopherBorn c. 470 BC · died 399 BC ConfuciusAeschylusSophoclesEmpedoclesHerodotusSocratesHippocratesAristophanes Empedocles and Socrates in bold, with some of their best-known contemporaries. Drag across to see the age each reached in any year. Faded ends mark uncertain dates.