Sophocles · Protagoras Were Sophocles and Protagoras alive at the same time? Yes. Sophocles and Protagoras were alive at the same time, from c. 490 BC to c. 420 BC. SophoclesAncient Greek playwrightBorn c. 496 BC · died c. 406 BCProtagorasPre-Socratic Greek philosopherBorn c. 490 BC · died c. 420 BC ConfuciusAeschylusSophoclesProtagorasHerodotusSocratesHippocrates Sophocles and Protagoras 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.