Plato Family Tree: The Story Behind The Academy's Founder

Plato (Greek: Πλάτων, Aristocles by birth), born 428/427 BCE in Athens, Greece, was a Greek philosopher — student of Socrates; teacher of Aristotle; founder of the Academy of Athens (387 BCE); the most-quoted philosopher in Western history. He died 348/347 BCE at age 80.

The Family's Roots: An Aristocratic Athenian Family

The Plato family was an old aristocratic Athenian lineage — claiming descent from Codrus, the legendary last King of Athens (on father's side) and from Solon, the great Athenian lawgiver (on mother's side).

His Parents

Father: Ariston of Collytus — Athenian aristocrat; descended from King Codrus.

Mother: Perictione — descended from Solon.

His Siblings

Adeimantus — Plato's elder brother; featured in The Republic as one of the main interlocutors.

Glaucon — Plato's elder brother; the other main interlocutor in The Republic.

Potone — Plato's sister; mother of Speusippus (Plato's successor at the Academy).

His Stepfather

After Ariston's death, Plato's mother Perictione married Pyrilampes — a wealthy Athenian who had been ambassador to Persia.

His Half-Brother

Antiphon — Perictione's son with Pyrilampes; Plato's younger half-brother.

His Personal Life

Plato never married and had no children.

His Famous Nephew

Speusippus — son of Plato's sister Potone; succeeded Plato as head of the Academy (347–339 BCE).

His Famous Students

Aristotle (384–322 BCE) — joined the Academy at 17; stayed 20 years.

Xenocrates (c. 396–314 BCE) — succeeded Speusippus as Academy head.

Dion of Syracuse — Sicilian politician.

The Plato Family Tree at a Glance

Father: Ariston of Collytus — Athenian aristocrat (descended from King Codrus).

Mother: Perictione (descended from Solon).

Siblings: Adeimantus (elder); Glaucon (elder); Potone (sister).

Stepfather: Pyrilampes — wealthy Athenian.

Half-Brother: Antiphon.

Wife / Children: None.

Nephew: Speusippus — succeeded Plato at the Academy.

Famous students: Aristotle; Xenocrates; Dion of Syracuse.

Plato:

  • Born 428/427 BCE, Athens
  • Studied under Cratylus (Heraclitean) and Hermogenes; came to Socrates as a young man
  • Witnessed the execution of Socrates: 399 BCE (when Plato was about 29) — defining trauma
  • Travel for about 12 years across Italy, Sicily, Egypt, and Cyrene
  • Founded the Academy in Athens: c. 387 BCE — operated until 86 BCE (273 years)
  • Three visits to Syracuse (388, 367, 361 BCE) — failed political experiments under Dionysius I and Dionysius II
  • Died 348/347 BCE, Athens, age 80
  • 35+ dialogues survive: Apology, Phaedo, Symposium, Republic, Phaedrus, Theaetetus, Sophist, Statesman, Timaeus, Laws

What the Plato Family Story Teaches Us

An aristocratic Athenian father. A mother descended from Solon. Two elder brothers featured in his greatest dialogue. A sister whose son succeeded him at the Academy. A stepfather who was a Persian ambassador. A lifelong unmarried life. A nephew as successor. Aristotle as student.

For every family — large or small, famous or otherwise — the Plato story carries the same lesson. Some family lines continue through nephews and students. The Academy was passed to Plato's nephew Speusippus — not a son.

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