Plato and the TyrantPlato and the Tyrant

Plato and the Tyrant by James Romm reexamines Plato not as a detached philosopher, but as an active political figure who sought to implement his ideas in the real world. Drawing on Plato's personal letters, Romm details his involvement with the tyrants of Syracuse and how this experience shaped his political philosophy, especially in The Republic. The book reveals how Plato's attempt to guide rulers with philosophy ended in personal and political disaster, offering a dramatic and insightful new perspective on the origins of Western political thought.