What was the cost of Socrates death

What was the cost of Socrates death?

(Russian)

The problem to estimate the cost of anything in Ancient Greece is the current scale of money. In Athens the main money unit was called drachma. It corresponds to 4.3 grams of silver. But using current price of silver may be misleading because supply/demand for it has been changed dramatically. On the other hand, a drachma was a standard pay per day for heavily armed soldier – hoplite. (At the bottom I placed some price list for goods and services for comparison)

We will take a historian estimation that 1 drachma is about $46.5 in 2015 prices.

Socrates was tried in the court in 399 BC by jury. Jury has 501 members selected from the public. The total number of legitimate voters in Athens was up to 50,000. That means that approximately 1% of all citizens were participating in Socrates trial. Athens’ court had 10 chambers which were selected from 10 tribes in number of 6000 citizen. So, more than 10% Athenians were involved in day to day court processing. What was the reason of such spectacular civil activity, given that the hearing in the court occupied the whole day?

Money. The jurors received payment. The salary per day was a half of drachma or $23.25. Not much, but you don’t need to be a hoplite or any skilled worker to be a judge and earn money. As we can see the day of the trial was cost to the city around $12,000. Not counting the depreciation of the court building, jail guards and cups of poison.

Three men were accusing Socrates. If jury would decided that Socrates was not guilty than these three should pay a penalty equals to a thousand drachmas. Or $46,500. Jury decided guilty with narrow margin. So these three gamblers had some tough moments during this trial.

On the second stage of the trial, Socrates offered to pay 1 mine for his release. It is 100 drachmas or $4,500. I do remember from somewhre that his total assets was 3 minae.

His friends were more worthy and offered to pay 30 minae or $140,000. That was a significant offer, but it was rejected by the jury.

After Socrates was sentenced to death he was placed in jail for 30 days. That was an occidental delay since Athens had a moratorium for executions for a month during this time. So he probably was feed for 2 obols (⅓ drachmae) and had a guards for 24/7 which we would estimate cost 3 drachmae. So, to keep him in jail the town had to spend approximately 100 drachmas. Or $4,650.

Socrates friends have a plan B. to make Socrates escape from jail, they bribed guards to visit him and had an arrangements to pay guards if prisoner decide to flee. Socrates declined.

In sum, town spent around $17,000 to put Socrates to death. Socrates friends, except for bribes, also spent 1 obol (⅙ drachma or around $8) to place a coin into Socrates corpse’s mouth to pay Charon for transporting his soul across Acheron river to Underworld.

Some Common prices and scales:

Goods	Drachmae	Dollars (at $46.5)
Loaf of Bread	0.17	7.905
Lamb	8	372
Slave	200-300	9300 – 13950
House	400-1000	18600 – 46500
Prostitute (Pornai)	2	93
VIP Escort (Hetaira 1Mina)	100	4650
V VIP Escort (Tais 1Talant)	6000	279000

 

FX Rtaes:

Nominal	Content	Dollars
1 Drachma	6 Obols	46.5
1 Tetradrachma	4 drachmae	186
1 Mina	100 drachmae	4650
1 Talant	60 Minae	279000