The View Over​​​​​​​ Atlantis

The myth of this fabled civilisation comes down to us from the Greek philosopher Plato but is there any truth in it – then or now? Steve Kershaw investigates

- Steve Kershaw

Myths get people thinking. Atlantis, which has inspired so many quests to find a super-civilised primordial paradise, actually surfaces for the first time in Athens in the 4th century BC in Plato’s dialogues Timaeus (1) and Critias. Never had any mention of such a place been made until the great philosopher introduced it to the world in order to explore some crucial philosophical and political ideas.

In the dialogues, Socrates says he wants to hear about the Ideal State in action, proving its excellence at a time of extreme stress, particularly in war. This prompts an old man called Critias (who was either one of the Athenian ‘Thirty Tyrants’, or his grandfather, Critias the Elder – the account is full of anomalies) to remember a story. According to this story, Atlantis was handed down from Athenian statesman Solon (3) who had heard it from some priests in Egypt in around 590 BC. He told it to Critias’ great-grandfather, Dropides, who told it to Critias’ grandfather (another Critias), who related it from memory when Critias was about 10 years old.

Critias tells Socrates that Atlantis Island was larger than Libya and Asia combined, and lay in the Atlantic Ocean outside the Pillars of Hercules (4). It had super-abundant flora and fauna, including elephants, and a south-facing coastal plain of almost 250,000sqkm, which rose precipitously above the ocean and was surrounded by mountains. This plain was encompassed by a 2,000km-long Grand Canal (ten times the length of the Suez Canal) and was criss-crossed by a further network of canals that connected to the capital (7). This city was built on concentric rings of land and water (5), and its walls were clad with melted bronze, tin and the mythical metal oreikhalkon.