Atlantis and Greek Mythology

Atlantis and Greek Mythology

To be honest Plato's account of the story of Atlantis is not a convincing one, firstly because the philosopher was not recognised as a chronicler and in all probability had misquoted his sources. Secondly the philosopher was known to spin a bit of a yarn now and then in order to demonstrate a particular philosophical point and this very much appears to have been what had happened in the case of his Atlantis story. This philosophical discussion in question at the time had been what exactly constitutes an ideal society?

Indeed Plato's Atlantis was hardly an ideal society by today's standards anyway. The society he describes was a completely feudal one where the arable land is divided into set allotments each of which has the role of supporting a given military unit. Further it is clear the island is governed by kings and is not therefore democratic in anyway. Some may find this surprising as the age that Plato lived in in ancient Greece did in fact have many democratic ideals. The fact that Atlantis was feudal would also strongly suggest that the islanders were extremely war-like as feudalism is a system which is designed to support and maintain an active war machine.

It is accepted by students of the Atlantis legend that the lost city was named after Atlas, the Greek god and Titan. However a parallel account of the legend in Diodorus Siculus has the Atlantians being named after Mount Atlas which is situated in Africa. He tells us that this tribe was more advanced and technologically developed than the surrounding tribes of the area. However he further relates that it was an island in a large lake nearby that had disappeared during an earthquake and this island had been inhabited by Amazons. Indeed it was actually the war-like Amazons who challenged the Greeks in Asia Minor and not the Atlantians as Plato has it.

It is clearly the case that Greek mythology is consistent in supporting the account of Diodorus but not that of Plato. In Greek mythology Mount Atlas is indeed located in Africa and also in Greek mythology it is the Amazons who challenge the Greeks in Asia Minor. Many of the Amazons who fell in battle are specifically named in the Greek myths.

In my book “Atlantis, the Origin of a Legend” not only do I discuss these things but I also identify the geographical features described by Diodorus in the Africa of today. I place the scene of events in Africa's Great Rift Valley and have Lake Victoria as the remnants of the lake with the island populated by the Amazons, before an ancient seismic event altered the landscape forever. 

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Atlantis and Greek Mythology