The story of Atlantis had brought about many guesses about where the fabled city might be. Although ideas about the location of Atlantis centers on the Greek isles, mainly Crete and Santorini, but also South America, Indonesia and even Antarctica.
The Story of Atlantis
The story of Atlantis is found in Plato’s dialogues Timaeus and Critias. In these Plato describes Atlantis as a large Island, about the size of Northern Africa. According to Plato the island was located in the Atlantic Ocean. As the story goes the island was controlled by the peoples of the western Mediterranean. When these people tried to conquer the rest of the region they were defeated by predecessors of the Athenians. These forerunners of the Athenians then liberated the peoples of the western Mediterranean. From their Plato’s stories say that approximately 9,000 years before his own time Atlantis and its entire people were destroyed in a giant wave of water.
Origin of the Story of Atlantis
According to Plato the story comes from a Greek named Solon who traveled into Egypt and heard the story from an Egyptian priest. Solon then recorded that story and passed it down over the years to his family members. Plato himself heard the story from Critias, who heard the story from his grandfather. By the time Plato learned of the story it had been 300 years since Solon had traveled to Egypt.
Santorini – The Location of Atlantis?
In one of the more popular modern day theories the island of Santorini was the site of the famed city of Atlantis. This theory follows the belief that the volcano on the island, Thera, erupted in the Mediterranean in 1628 and destroyed Atlantis at that time. Archeological evidence proves that there was volcanic activity during the Bronze Age and at the time a small island that was located in the water just off of Santorini disappeared. This island fits the description and size of Atlantis.
The Truth about Atlantis
The evidence that is available suggests that Atlantis is simply a myth written into Plato’s Dialogues. It is likely that Plato was inspired by the sinking of the Greek city Helike. This city was destroyed by an earthquake and then hit by a tsunami. The island city than sank into the Gulf of Corinth in 373 BCE. Writers of the time wrote that sailors who sailed over the place where the city once was could look down and see the remains of the city. This occurred during Plato’s lifetime and may have inspired the story.
