2400 years ago, the legend of the glorious island of Atlantis (named after the giant Atlas) which is also known as ‘the eighth continent‘ came into existence. Throughout that period people have been trying to solve that riddle repeatedly. Thousands of books have been written on the topic of Atlantis - and considering the fact that this piece of land does not even exist, the waves of enthusiasm the phenomenon of Atlantis has aroused over the centuries become manifest. Od myths keep on stimulating the inquiring mind in restless people. And prompted by Homer’s old myths, Schliemann finally discovered the way to Troy. He found his signpost within the “Iliad“, an epic about the Trojan War. The very case of Troy and the Old Testament as well perfectly show that old myths are not fairy tales but written history.



12 000 years ago, according to the Greek philosopher and statesman Plato in his dialogues “Timaeus“ and “Critias“, Atlantis was situated to the west of the ‘Pillars of Heracles‘, nowadays known as the Straits of Gibraltar. Atlantis was provided with a wealth of natural resources and maintained a high level of prosperity – the state ruled over half of Europe and it also controlled North Africa. Within one day and one night, it sank by means of tremendous earthquakes and tidal waves because people had become corrupt and infamous. But who do we owe the legend and who introduced it to the world?
 
Solon (639-559 BC), an Attic statesman and scholar, started the historical myth of Atlantis. From 571 to 561 BC, he visited Egypt and its neighbouring countries. In Saiis, former capital of Lower Egypt and cultural centre of the ancient world, the priest and temple recorder Sonchis told Solon about a story of the sunken empire and continent of Atlantis that was recorded there. In Athens, authorized persons were told by Solon this secret knowledge from the temples of Egypt.

We owe the story of Atlantis to the Greek philosopher Plato (427-347 BC) who wrote it down in his dialogues “Timaeus“ and “Critias“. This report revolves around a conversation in honour of the Thracian moon goddess Bendis which was held by Socrates (470-399 BC), Hermocrates, Timaeus and Critias and which dealt with the subject of Atlantis as introduced by Solon. Plato added this topic to his work “Politeia“ which concerns the ideal state.

The Atlantis report, known as the “Timaeus-Critias Dialogue“, consists of two parts. The first part, the “Timaeus“, deals with the early history of Greece and a military conflict with Atlantis. The second part, the “Critias“, is concerned with a description of Atlantis. Originally, Plato intended to add a third part but he never did. This additional material might have helped to shed light on the phenomenon of Atlantis, for the second part concludes shortöy before the doom of Atlantis with the following words:

“(...) Zeus, the god of gods, who rules according to law, and is able to see into such things, perceiving that an honourable race was in a woeful plight, and wanting to inflict punishment on them, that they might be chastened and improve, collected all the gods into their most holy habitation, which, being placed in the centre of the world, beholds all created things. And when he had called them together, he spake as follows ... ”



So far, the legend of Atlantis could be claimed a chimera of ingenious thinkers and philosophers yearning for an ideal state and equating the tragic end of Atlantis with the moral decay of any civilization. However, this is too simple a thesis when it comes to puzzles in the realm of world culture as famous as the one about Atlantis. The first known person to criticize the myth of Atlantis was Aristotle, Plato‘s most talented student.

But where did the Egyptians get these reports of Atlantis or an Atlantean empire from? The origin of the Egyptian culture dates back to 3500 BC, not 10 000 BC. Could it be that, 2 500 years ago, the Egyptians still remembered their ancestors who had been the founders of their advanced civilization? The Egyptian system of myths and gods highlights the deity Thot (Egyptian: Djehuti) who is said to have introduced language, script and accounting to mankind. Moreover, he was in command of foreign people! Were the Egyptian gods nothing else than the survivors of Atlantis? Was Thot kind of a colonial ruler?

 

 

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