The ancient Greek philosopher sentenced to death for corrupting the youth was Socrates. In 399 BC, he was charged with impiety and corrupting the youth of Athens through his teachings and dialectical methods. Rather than retreat from his beliefs, Socrates defended himself in a trial that has been immortalized by his student Plato. He was ultimately sentenced to death by consuming a drink containing poison hemlock. Socrates' fate underscored the tensions between individual thought and societal norms, and his ideas have since had a profound influence on Western philosophy.