Sculpted heads of rulers and famous personalities like Socrates survive in some quantity, and like the individualized busts of Hellenistic rulers on coins, show that Greek portraiture could achieve a good likeness, and subjects were depicted with relatively little flattery - Socrates' portraits show why he had a reputation for being ugly.
Skulpturer af herskere og personligheder som Socrates overlevede i et vist antal, og som de individualiserede portrætter af hellenistiske herskere på mønter, viser de, at de græske portrætter kunne opnå en god lighed, og at personerne blev afbildet med forholdsvis lidt smiger – Sokrates' portrætter viser, hvorfor han havde ry for at være grim.