Who's ideas did Athenians feel encouraged questioning of the government and revolt.

A. Aristotle

B. Socrates

C. Thucydides

D. Plato

The correct answer is Socrates

Socrates was one of the greatest thinkers of the classical period of Ancient Greece. Accused of corrupting youth with his philosophy and introducing new divine entities, denying the gods of the country, he was condemned to death for his activities.

The accusations that were imposed on them hid deep resentments from the powerful of the time. Anito, for example, the most important of the accusers, wanted to take revenge on the philosopher, as he had publicly reproached him for not wanting the education of his son.

For Plato - Socrates' best known disciple - the thinker received the condemnation not for religious reasons, but for evidently political reasons. In fact, Socrates showed, through words and deeds, his obstinate repulsion to democratic governments. The punishment requested by the philosopher was the death penalty, however, it is believed that, in fact, the accusers' purpose was not to execute him, but to persuade him to abandon Athens before the process continued.

The charges were brought before a court of 501 Athenian citizens and Socrates was found guilty. Following the law of the time, the defendant was able to suggest an alternative penalty, however, instead of choosing exile, he preferred to propose the payment of a paltry fine. This attitude irritated the court that ordered his death. Apparently, execution was an option for the philosopher himself, since avoiding it through concessions would seem to acknowledge his guilt.

After being imprisoned for 30 days, Socrates ingested the poison, the hemlock, dying at the age of 71. A moving account of his death is found in Plato's Phaedo.