Sophocles · Pericles Were Sophocles and Pericles alive at the same time? Yes. Sophocles and Pericles were alive at the same time, from 494 BC to 429 BC. SophoclesAncient Greek playwrightBorn c. 496 BC · died c. 406 BCPericlesAthenian statesman, orator and generalBorn 494 BC · died 429 BC ConfuciusAeschylusSophoclesPericlesHerodotusSocratesHippocrates Sophocles and Pericles 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.