Changes

In the dialogue Critias, a well-known Athenian politician relates that the Olympian Gods divided the earth between them. The gods gave the sea-god Poseidon was allocated the great island of Atlantis. This civilization was located beyond the Straits of Gibraltar and was therefore situated in the Atlantic Ocean. It was believed to be very large and was approximately 500 miles long.<ref>Plato. Critias. 32 b</ref>It was very fertile and rich, but it was very prone to earthquakes.

According to Egyptian sources, the island was hilly , and in the center was a great vast plain. Critias in the Platonic dialogue states that Poseidon had five pairs of twins with a nymph. The firstborn son was named Atlas , and he later became monarch of the island. The Atlantic Ocean is was named after this fabled king. The other sons of Poseidon were also given extensive territories to rule in and around Atlantis. According to the Platonic dialogue, Poseidon created a palace for the mother of Atlas. Near here, the Atlanteans build a canal and tunnels that linked this palace to the rest of the island<ref>Plato. Critias. 32 b</ref>. They also built a great city that was surrounded by mighty walls, that were multi-colored and covered with precious metals.

Plato has Critias state that Atlantis was a veritable paradise on earth for many centuries. It was a well-ordered land, that was justly ruled, and its kings were wise. In According to the Platonic dialogue, Poseidon created a palace for the island is portrayed as the perfect society and a Utopiamother of Atlas. However, over timeNear here, the Atlanteans became decadent build a canal and lost their old virtue and become increasingly rapacious and war-liketunnels that linked this palace to the rest of the island. <ref> Plato. Critias. 32 b</ref> Some 9000 years ago there was They also built a great warcity that was surrounded by mighty walls, between the Atlanteans that were multi-colored and the rest of the inhabited world. The Atlanteans had subjugated most of Europe, as far as Italycovered with precious metals. Athens led a coalition against the new Atlantean Empire. Even though the Athenians were betrayed by their allies, they still managed to defeat the Atlanteans.<ref>Plato. Critias. 32 b</ref>

Soon after the defeat of Plato has Critias state that Atlantiswas a veritable paradise on earth for many centuries. It was a well-ordered land, that was justly ruled, a series of floods and earthquakes shook its kings were wise. In the Platonic dialogue, the islandis portrayed as the perfect society and a Utopia. These disasters eventually sank Atlantis into However, over time, the seaAtlanteans became decadent and lost their old virtue and become increasingly rapacious and war-like.<ref>Forsyth, pPlato. Critias. 1832 b</ref> All traces of it apart from some records have vanished according to the Dialogue. We do not know if Plato invented the fable or if there was an actual myth about the great island, in the Classical era. In Ancient times, opinion was divided on the historicity of the island, some such as Strabo believed it to be true, while others saw it as a fiction.

Some 9000 years ago, there was a great war between the Atlanteans and the rest of the inhabited world. The Atlanteans had subjugated most of Europe, as far as Italy. Athens led a coalition against the new Atlantean Empire. Even though their allies betrayed the Athenians, they still managed to defeat the Atlanteans.<ref>Plato. Critias. 32 b</ref>  Soon after the defeat of Atlantis, a series of floods and earthquakes shook the island. These disasters eventually sank Atlantis into the sea.<ref>Forsyth, p. 18</ref> All traces of it apart from some records have vanished according to the dialogue. We do not know if Plato invented the fable or if there was an actual myth about the grand island, in the Classical era. In Ancient times, opinion was divided on the historicity of the island; some such as Strabo believed it to be accurate, while others saw it as a fiction.  The tale of Atlantis inspired Francis Bacon in his great work the New Atlantis and St Thomas More in his work Utopia. In 1882, the Minnesotan politician Ignatius L. Donnelly wrote the pseudo-historical work Atlantis: The Antediluvian World. Donnelly took Plato literally , and he contended that there had once been a huge an enormous island in the mid-Atlantic and that the Atlanteans once had a superior civilization. This work revived interest in Plato’s philosophical narrative , and from then on there are those who , some have been committed to finding the lost island or continent.