Atlantis is an island existing within Plato’s metaphorical writings. It is described as legendary, while readers are conflicted as to whether or not the work itself is fact or fiction. There is no exact answer, but it is commonly believed that Atlantis is inspired by historical events and is Plato’s imagination’s work of fiction.
Timaeus is one of Plato’s dialogues, mainly in the form of an elaborate monologue, as told by Timaeus of Locri. Participants of the dialogue include Socrates, Timaeus, and Critias. This piece puts forward a theory revolving the nature of the physical world and all the inhabitants thereof. The dialogue of Critias, which proceeds Timaeus, briefly mentions Atlantis as possessed by Poseidon, the ancient Greek god of the sea and waters, of earthquakes, and of horses. Critias recounts the story of Atlantis, an island kingdom, and its failed attempt to conquer Athens. Atlantis is a beautiful and prosperous legendary island existing within Plato’s Timaeus-Critias allegorical works. It later submerged into the Atlantic Ocean after falling out of favor with the gods.
The location of Atlantis is commonly proposed as an island near the Mediterranean Sea, like Crete, Thera, or Sicily. Critias tells about the origins of Atlantis and how Poseidon fell in love with a mortal called Cleito. One of their children named Atlas went on to inherit the island from his father. The Atlanteans corrupted and were described as greedy rulers with unrighteous power. Critias then tells of how Zeus, the king of the gods, reprimanded the island. Following the destruction of the island by an earthquake, the proclaimed “New” Atlanteans settled in an area of Athens, Greece. They conquered several Greek colonies near the Iberian Peninsula, much to the anger of the Greeks. Although little is known of these events, they are associated with another war preceding Plato’s time.
The Battle of Marathon in 490 BCE can compare to the downfall of Atlantis. It was fought between the Athenians and a Persian force under King Darius I. Atlanteans faced their own war as they became immoral and unethical, leading their own god, Zeus, to eventually punish them. Another interpretation of Atlantis’s civilization is the Minoan Crete, a civilization existing in the Aegean Bronze Age. Like Atlantis, it is known today as a devastated island by one of the most catastrophic earthquakes ever recorded in history. Part of their culture included bull worship and bull jumping, both of which were activities present in Atlantis. Plato’s next dialogue, titled “Minos,” leads many to believe the similarities between Atlantis and the Minoan Crete are no coincidence. Perhaps there is no way to know the true origins of the legend, but it is certainly possible that the Minoan Crete and its demise inspired Plato’s work.
Sir Francis Bacon’s incomplete utopian novel, New Atlantis, contains allegorical references reminiscent of Plato’s work. Bacon’s vision for a Utopian New World is evident throughout his writing. He depicts a land of religious freedom by creating a Jewish character treated with fairness and equality in a land of Christians. His work is said to have influenced other civil pursuits and ultimately the American Constitution, which was signed centuries after his time. Plato may have presented Atlantis as his own vision of a perfect island. Atlantis also inspired famous works, one of them being Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Archaeologists and historians around the world are constantly discovering and hypothesizing new interpretations of Atlantis. The limited knowledge possessed about the historical accuracy of Plato’s writings fails to prevent two millenniums of readers from enjoying the imagination Atlantis has to offer.
The legend of Atlantis continues to serve as an inspiration most commonly in popular culture. It is not possible to understand the history of such a story when all we have of it is the story itself. Nevertheless, Plato, like any author, wrote for the sake of spreading his passion of literature on to the readers.
Previously published 15.10.2019