This study examines the tension between philosophy and politics as it is dramatized in the Platonic dialogues and offers a novel account of this tension which emphasizes the role of nomoi (laws, customs, traditions) in the formation of political identities in classical Greece. The study begins with a cross-disciplinary survey of ancient texts in order to illustrate the fundamental status of nomoi in classical Greek political thought before turning to Plato’s conception of the philosophical discipline. By highlighting Plato’s reliance on the social and political institutions of 5th century BCE Athens in order to furnish the conceptual resources necessary for his conception of philosophy, the study demonstrates the points of conflict between politics and philosophy, as well as the positive function of Plato’s dialectic in the maintenance of the body politic.