Xanthippe was an ancient Athenian woman who lived in Greece during the classical period. She is primarily known as the wife of the philosopher Socrates and the mother of his sons, Lamprocles, Sophroniscus, and Menexenus.
Historical accounts suggest that Xanthippe was significantly younger than her husband, potentially by approximately 30 years. In the writings of Xenophon's Symposium, she is characterized by Antisthenes as a difficult and ill-tempered spouse, a description that has shaped most subsequent historical portrayals of her character.