Plato was born in Athens. As a young man he came under the influence of Socrates and devoted himself to philosophy. The execution of his teacher embittered Plato and he left Athens to travel and study in Italy, Sicily and probably North Africa.

Plato spent some time educating Dionysus II in Sicily, but the project failed and Plato returned to Athens where he opened a school called 'the Academy' which became the first university in Europe.

Plato expressed his philosophic thinking in many written dialogues which rank among the greatest literary and philosophic masterpieces of all times.
See connection story:
From Dionysus to Aristotle

Greek Philosophy