10 little-known facts about lost Atlantis

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

We have all heard about Atlantis, the legendary island that sank under water in one day. Who was the first to know about this? Did Atlantis Really Exist? What else do we not know about her? The history of Atlantis came to us in the retelling of the Greek philosopher Plato. More precisely, from two of his works, "Timaeus" and "Critias". It is believed that these books were written in 360 BC. e.

In them, Plato wrote that the Greek sage Solon became aware of this story when he served as a priest in Egypt. On his return, Solon told her to his relative, Dropidus. Then Dropidas handed it over to his son Critias, who told her grandson, also Critias, the latter shared it with Socrates and his entourage.

This list should not be taken as a historical or scientific fact, but as a true retelling of Plato. Whether we will believe in the legend is everyone's personal choice. Science does not yet provide accurate data about Atlantis, but the lost cities have been and will be found. It may one day become a legendary island.

We know the place

Many books and documentaries have been written on the possible location of Atlantis. A quick Google search will reveal that some point to Santorini as Atlantis in the past; others believe that the waters of Bimini hide a road to the lost city. If we take the text of Plato as a basis, he will tell us where the city, now submerged under water, was once located.

The text says that Atlantis "came out of the Atlantic Ocean." It goes on to say that "there was an island in front of the Pillars of Hercules." Today, these pillars should be located on the site of the Strait of Gibraltar, where a narrow strip of sea separates Spain and Africa. While these are certainly not GPS coordinates, the island's location narrows down.

In 2011, the University of Hartford archaeologist Richard Freund and his team discovered "memorial cities," or cities built in the image of Atlantis. A number of cities were found buried in the bolts of Donana National Park, north of Cadiz, Spain.

It turned out that Cadiz is right in front of the pillars. This made Freund think that the real Atlantis was buried in the mud swamps of the Atlantic. Its results coincide with the text of the plot that “the sea in these parts is impassable and impenetrable, because there is fine mud on the way; and it happened because of the subsidence of the island."

Cadiz is also considered to be one of the oldest cities still found in Western Europe. It is believed to have been built by the Phoenicians around 700 BC. BC, but some records claim that the city was already in 1100 BC. e. Greek myths say this city is even bigger.

Why is it important? Because a long time ago this city was called Hades. This is appropriate because the text speaks of an Atlantean prince who was called Gadeir by the prehistoric citizens of Hades. The Far Eastern part of Atlantis belonged to him.

This part of the island was supposed to face modern Cadiz. Therefore, the story goes that Cadiz, or Hades, was named after the prince. Of course, Plato wrote all this at least 340 years after the discovery of the city, so he could take the liberty in naming the Atlantic princes.

Atlantis bears the name of a demigod

Most people believe that Atlantis got its name from the Atlantic Ocean, but in reality it was exactly the opposite. Legend has it that Poseidon, the Greek god of the seas, had five twins from a mortal Atlantean woman named Clito.

God gave each of his 10 sons a different part of the island to rule over. Gadeir was the second oldest. And although a city in Spain was named after him, it was his elder brother Atlas who got the honor to name the city by his name. As the firstborn, Atlas took possession of an entire island, and even the ocean surrounding it was named after him. His children were also to rule Atlantis forever.

Half of the story is missing

We know that Plato wrote at least two books about Atlantis. Today we have a full version of Timaeus, but no full version of Critias.

"Critias" ends at the fact that Zeus, the head of the Greek gods, "gathered all the gods in their most sacred dwelling, which, being placed in the center of the world, contemplates all created things. And when he brought them together, he said the following. " That's all.

It is not known whether Plato deliberately left the book unfinished, or whether the finished version was long lost. Not only do we miss the ending of Critias, but it is also believed that Plato wrote, or at least planned to write a third book about Atlantis - Hertocrates.

There are several facts to support this theory. The line in "Critias" reads: "Critias, we will grant your request and provide, if necessary, Hermocrates the same as you and Timaeus." Consequently, the third part of the story should be devoted to Hermocratus.

In addition, the titles of the three books may contain a hidden message, especially when you look at the order in which Plato wrote or should have written them. Timaeus comes from the Greek tio, which means to honor. Critias comes from the Greek krima, which means judgment. Hermocrat comes from "Hermes", the messenger of the Greek gods. Timaeus reveres prehistoric Athens for their heroism. Critias, presumably, ends with the trial of Zeus over Atlantis. But what message could Hermocrates convey?

The answer may lie in what we know about Hertocrates himself. He was a real military leader who helped lead the successful defense of Syracuse against Athens during the Peloponnesian War. Sounds like the history of Atlantis. In this story, an Athenian state from prehistoric times repels an attack by the superior forces of Atlantis.

Perhaps the message from Hertocrates was about why Athens' attack on Syracuse failed and how Syracuse was able to fight off the conquest. Unless someone finds a copy of this book, we may never know the full history of Atlantis.

Atlantis must have been at least 11,500 years old

Solon was considered the wisest of all the Greek sages. The texts say that the history of Atlantis was retold to Solon in Egypt, when he wanted to "pull" from the priests their most ancient legends.

To do this, Solon decided to tell the priests about the most ancient Greek stories he could remember. He spoke to them about the great flood and the first man. After listening to Solon, one priest replied: “Oh, Solon, Solon … There are no old people among you … Consciously you are all young; there is no old opinion among you, carried over by traditions."

Then the priest said that Athens, Solon's hometown, was much older than he thought. In the records of the Egyptians at Sais (where they were), it was said that Sais was founded 8000 years earlier. And it was also recorded that Athens was founded 1000 years before Sais and that the Athenians of that time were at war with the Atlanteans.

Solon lived from about 630 BC. e. until 560 BC e. If this story is correct, the fall of Atlantis happened around 9500 BC. e. This means that Atlantis must be as old as Gobekli Tepe, which appeared 10,000 years BC. e. and is considered the oldest temple in the world.

The story begins to take shape. But while everything is in a fog.

The story is true … according to Plato

We said that this list cannot be considered a historical summary. In the text, however, Critias claims that his story is true. "Listen to a story that, while strange, is certainly true and confirmed by Solon."It is very important for Plato to distinguish fact from history. Plato says frankly that some myths are symbolic in nature. However, in his book, he claims that Atlantis was real, not mythical. If Atlantis were Plato's fantasy, why would he claim that the story of Atlantis is true, but not say that Greek myth was created to represent something else?

Atlantis was an empire

Most of us probably imagine a lush green island surrounded by deep blue ocean waters when we think of Atlantis. Although the story takes place on an island, most of us probably assume that Atlantis was limited to this island. But Plato says that Atlantis was an empire that was ruled from this island.

"On this island of Atlantis, there was a great and beautiful empire that ruled over the whole island and several others, as well as over parts of the continent, and, in addition, the people of Atlantis conquered Libya to the Pillars of Hercules, to Egypt, and Europe to Tyrrenia."

Tirrenia is another name for Etruria, now known as central Italy. This means that Atlantis would stretch as far as present-day Tuscany in Europe and as far as Egypt in Africa. We would like to know how the Athenians defeated such a large empire? Maybe Plato himself did not know, so he decided not to finish writing the ending.

Ancient Mediterranean could have known about the Americas

While it may well be that Plato created Atlantis for the sake of philosophy, there is one part of the story that would be difficult to fabricate. In the story, an Egyptian priest says to Solon: “This island opened the way to other islands, and from them you could go to the opposite continent, which surrounded the real ocean. The adjacent land can be called a truly endless continent."

What continent was on the other side of the Atlantic, so large that it seemed as if it was surrounded by a whole ocean? Could this mean that the ancient Greeks and possibly the ancient Egyptians knew about the Americas and even visited there?

In 1970, the famous seafarer Thor Heyerdahl sailed with a crew of six in a reed ship called Ra II. They sailed from Safi to Morocco, across the Atlantic, to Barbados in 57 days.

This voyage proved that reed boats can survive ocean voyages and that ancient people could actually cross the Atlantic Ocean in them. This feat was once considered impossible.

But that doesn't prove that the Egyptians or Greeks made their way to America. Heyerdahl only proved that it was possible.

In ancient Athens, women were allowed to serve

The issue of women in the military is often raised in developed countries. Should we allow women to serve in combat formations? Should women sign a service contract?

2500 years ago, upon learning of our questions, the Greeks would have laughed. Actually, a student of Plato Aristotle once said: "Silence is the glory of a woman."

And what would the Spartans do if a woman tried to join their ranks? They wouldn't like it. This is Sparta-ah-ah!

But in Athens 9500 BC. e. everything was different. According to Plato, “military service was common for men and women; men and women, in full armor and under the auspices of the goddess Athena, could practice the same martial arts practices, without any gender distinction."

Perhaps Plato simply dreamed of an ideal state, or maybe not. Perhaps the Athenians 9500 BC e. did their best to contain the enemy.

Plato wanted to keep people from the ocean

If the Greeks really knew what lay outside the Mediterranean, would they want other people to know too? Maybe not. Perhaps that is why Plato wrote that no one should sail into the Atlantic Ocean.

“But then there were strong earthquakes and floods; and in one day and in one night of misfortune, all men capable of fighting went underground, and the island of Atlantis in the same way went into the depths of the sea. According to Plato, as a result of this, impenetrable deposits of mud appeared near the Strait of Gibraltar.

This could stop the curious from crossing the strait. Plato insisted that it was impossible to sail to the Atlantic during his lifetime, "for in those days the Atlantic was navigable."

Was Plato really trying to keep people from going to the Atlantic? Did he really think shallow mud was blocking ocean travel? Or was the Atlantic too dirty for boats to pass at that time? If it was too shallow for the boats, why not just walk?

Humanity has been and will be destroyed many times

The Egyptian priest told Solon that none of his stories were "truly ancient" compared to his own. According to the priest, the reason that Solon lacked "truly ancient" knowledge is that humanity has been destroyed over and over again.

“There have been and will again be the destruction of mankind for various reasons; the greatest of them brought manifestations of fire and water, the lesser - countless other causes."

Further, the priest explained: "When the gods cleanse the Earth with a stream of water, only the shepherds living in the mountains remain alive."

If the only people who survive after the cataclysms are the inhabitants of the mountains who do not know their distant past, it is easy to see how the entire history of civilization is lost over time. The priest believed that Egypt experienced these cataclysms, while others did not, because in Egypt it hardly rained at all. Instead, there were annual floods due to the flooding of the Nile, which rose enough to feed the crops, but not destroy their world. Somewhere too humid, somewhere too dry. And in Egypt everything is as it should be (but in fact there is very, very dry).