Sophocles · Socrates Were Sophocles and Socrates alive at the same time? Yes. Sophocles and Socrates were alive at the same time, from c. 470 BC to c. 406 BC. SophoclesAncient Greek playwrightBorn c. 496 BC · died c. 406 BCSocrates5th-century BCE Greek philosopherBorn c. 470 BC · died 399 BC ConfuciusAeschylusSophoclesHerodotusSocratesHippocratesAristophanes Sophocles 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.