Disputes about whether the existence of Atlantis was a reality or a beautiful legend, do not subside for many centuries. On this occasion, a large number of the most controversial theories were put forward, but they were all based on information obtained from the texts of ancient Greek authors, none of whom personally saw this mysterious island, but transmitted only information received from earlier sources. So how true is the legend of Atlantis and where did it come from in our modern world?
An island sunk into the deep sea
First of all, let's clarify that the word "Atlantis" is commonly understood as some fantastic (since there is no direct evidence of its existence) island located in the Atlantic Ocean. Its exact location is unknown. According to the most popular legend, Atlantis was located somewhere near the northwestern coast of Africa, bordered by the Atlas Mountains, and near the Pillars of Hercules, framing the entrance to the Strait of Gibr altar.
He put it there in his dialogues (works written inthe form of a conversation of historical or fictional persons) the famous ancient Greek philosopher Plato. On the basis of his works, a very popular legend about Atlantis was subsequently born. It says that around 9500 BC. e. a terrible earthquake occurred in the above area, as a result of which the island was forever plunged into the abyss of the ocean.
On that day, an ancient and highly developed civilization, created by the islanders, whom Plato calls "Atlanteans", perished. It should be noted right away that, due to similar names, they are sometimes mistakenly identified with the characters of ancient Greek mythology - mighty titans holding the vault of heaven on their shoulders. This mistake is so common that seeing the sculptures by the outstanding Russian sculptor A. I. Terebenev (see photo below), decorating the portico of the New Hermitage in St. Petersburg, many have an association with heroes who once sunk deep into the seas.
A riddle that excites people's minds
During the Middle Ages, the works of Plato, as well as most other ancient historians and philosophers, were forgotten, but already in the XIV-XVI centuries, called the Renaissance, interest in them, and at the same time in Atlantis and the legend associated with its existence has increased rapidly. It does not weaken to this day, giving rise to heated scientific discussions. Scientists around the world are trying to find real evidence of the events described by Plato and a number of his followers, and to answer the question of what Atlantis really was.– legend or reality?
The island, inhabited by people who created the highest civilization at that time, and then swallowed up by the ocean, is a mystery that excites the minds of people and encourages them to look for answers outside the real world. It is known that even in Ancient Greece the legend of Atlantis gave impetus to many mystical teachings, and in modern history it inspired thinkers of theosophical direction. The best known of these are H. P. Blavatsky and A. P. Sinnett. The authors of various kinds of near-scientific and simply fantastic works of various genres, also referring to the image of Atlantis, did not stand aside.
Where did the legend come from?
But let's get back to the writings of Plato, since they are the primary source that initiated centuries-old disputes and discussions. As mentioned above, the mention of Atlantis is contained in two of his dialogues, called Timaeus and Critias. Both of them are devoted to the issue of the state system and are conducted on behalf of his contemporaries: the Athenian politician Critias, as well as two philosophers - Socrates and Timaeus. We note right away that Plato makes a reservation that the primary source of all information about Atlantis is the story of the ancient Egyptian priests, which was passed down orally from generation to generation and finally reached him.
The troubles that befell the Atlanteans
The first of the dialogues contains a message from Critias about the war between Athens and Atlantis. According to him, the island, whose army his compatriots had to face, was so large that its sizesurpassed all of Asia, which gives reason with every right to call it the mainland. As for the state formed on it, it amazed everyone with its greatness and, being unusually powerful, conquered Libya, as well as a significant territory of Europe, stretching up to Tirrenia (Western Italy).
In 9500 B. C. e. Atlanteans, wanting to conquer Athens, brought down on them all the power of their previously invincible army, but, despite the clear superiority of forces, they could not succeed. The Athenians repulsed the invasion and, having defeated the enemy, returned freedom to the peoples who until then had been in slavery to the islanders. However, the troubles did not recede from the prosperous and once prosperous Atlantis. The legend, or rather, the story of Critias, which is based on it, tells further about a terrible natural disaster that completely destroyed the island and forced it to sink into the ocean depths. Literally within a day, the raging elements wiped out a huge continent from the face of the earth and put an end to the highly developed culture created on it.
Commune of Athenian rulers
The continuation of this story is the second dialogue that has come down to us, called "Critias". In it, the same Athenian politician tells in more detail about the two great states of antiquity, whose armies met on the battlefield shortly before the fatal flood. Athens, he said, was a highly developed state so pleasing to the gods that, according to legend, the end of Atlantis was a foregone conclusion.
Very remarkable descriptionsystem of government that was established in it. According to Critias, on the Acropolis - a hill that still towers in the center of the Greek capital - there was a certain commune, partly reminiscent of those that the founders of the communist movement imagined in their imagination. Everything in it was equal and everything was enough in abundance. But it was inhabited not by ordinary people, but by rulers and warriors who ensured the maintenance of the order they desired in the country. The laboring masses were only allowed to reverently look at their shining heights and fulfill the plans descended from there.
Haughty descendants of Poseidon
In the same treatise, the author contrasted the humble and virtuous Athenians with the high-proud Atlanteans. Their ancestor, as is clear from the work of Plato, was the god of the seas Poseidon himself. Once, having witnessed how an earthly girl named Kleito did not live her young body in the waves, he was inflamed with passion and, having evoked reciprocal feelings in her, became the father of ten sons - demigods-half-humans.
The eldest of them, named Atlas, was put in charge of the island, divided into nine parts, each of which was under the command of one of his brothers. In the future, not only the island inherited his name, but even the ocean on which he was located. All his brothers became the founders of dynasties that lived and ruled in this fertile land for many centuries. This is how the legend describes the birth of Atlantis as a mighty and sovereign state.
Island of abundance and we alth
In hisIn his work, Plato also cites the dimensions of this legendary mainland island known to him. According to him, it was 540 km long and at least 360 km wide. The highest point of this vast territory was a hill, the height of which the author does not specify, but writes that it was located about 9-10 km from the seashore.
It was on it that the palace of the ruler was built, which Poseidon himself surrounded by three land and two water defensive rings. Later, his descendants, the Atlanteans, threw bridges over them and dug additional channels through which ships could freely approach the piers located at the very walls of the palace. They also erected many temples on the central hill, richly decorated with gold and decorated with statues of celestials and earthly rulers of Atlantis.
Myths and legends, born on the basis of the writings of Plato, are full of descriptions of the treasures owned by the descendants of the sea god, as well as the we alth of nature and the fertility of the island. In the dialogues of the ancient Greek philosopher, in particular, it is mentioned that, despite the densely populated Atlantis, wild animals lived very freely on its territory, among which there were even not yet tamed and not domesticated elephants. At the same time, Plato does not ignore many of the negative aspects of the life of the islanders, which caused the wrath of the gods and caused the catastrophe.
The end of Atlantis and the beginning of the legend
Peace and prosperity that reigned on it for many centuries collapsed overnight due to the fault of the Atlanteans themselves. The author writes that as long as the inhabitants of the island put virtue aboveriches and honors, the celestials were favorable to them, but turned away from them as soon as the glitter of gold eclipsed spiritual values in their eyes. Looking at how people who had lost their divine essence were overwhelmed with pride, greed and anger, Zeus did not want to restrain his anger and, having gathered other gods, gave them the right to pronounce his sentence. This is where the manuscript of the ancient Greek philosopher ends, but, judging by the catastrophe that soon befell the wicked proud, they were considered unworthy of mercy, which eventually led to such a sad outcome.
Legends of Atlantis (or information about real events - it remains unknown) attracted the attention of many ancient Greek historians and writers. In particular, the Athenian Hellanic, who lived in the 5th century BC. e., also describes this island in one of his writings, calling it, however, a little differently - Atlantiad - and not mentioning its death. However, modern researchers, for a number of reasons, believe that his story is not related to the lost Atlantis, but to Crete, which has successfully survived the centuries, in whose history the sea god Poseidon also appears, who conceived a son from an earthly maiden.
It is curious that the name "Atlantes" was applied by ancient Greek and Roman authors not only to the islanders, but also to the inhabitants of continental Africa. In particular, Herodotus, Pliny the Younger, as well as the no less famous historian Diodorus Siculus, so call a certain tribe that lived in the Atlas Mountains near the ocean coast. These African Atlanteans were verywarlike and, being at a low stage of development, waged constant wars with foreigners, among whom were the legendary Amazons.
As a result, they were completely exterminated by their neighbors troglodytes, who, although they were in a semi-animal state, still managed to win. There is an opinion that Aristotle on this occasion said that it was not the military superiority of the savages that led to the death of the Atlantean tribe, but the creator of the world, Zeus, killed them for their transgressions.
Food of fantasy that survived the ages
The attitude of modern researchers to the information presented in Plato's dialogues and in the writings of a number of other authors is extremely skeptical. Most of them consider Atlantis a legend with no real basis. Their position is explained primarily by the fact that for many centuries no material evidence of its existence has been found. It really is. Archaeological evidence of the existence of such a developed civilization in West Africa or Greece at the end of the Ice Age, as well as the nearest millennia to it, is completely absent.
It is also puzzling that the story allegedly told to the world by ancient Greek priests and then passed down to Plato in oral retelling was not reflected in any of the written monuments found on the banks of the Nile. This involuntarily suggests that the ancient Greek philosopher himself composed the tragic story of Atlantis.
He could have borrowed the beginning of the legend from a richdomestic mythology, in which the gods often became the founders of entire peoples and continents. As for the tragic denouement of the plot, he needed it. The fictitious island should have been destroyed to give the story an external credibility. Otherwise, how could he explain to his contemporaries (and, of course, to his descendants) the absence of traces of his existence.
Researchers of antiquity pay attention to the fact that when talking about a mysterious continent located near the western coast of Africa, and about its inhabitants, the author cites only Greek names and geographical names. This is very strange and suggests that he invented them himself.
Tragic mistake
At the end of the article, here are some very amusing statements that zealous supporters of the historicity of the existence of Atlantis come out with today. As mentioned above, today it has been raised to the shield by many supporters of the occult movements and all sorts of mystics who do not want to reckon with the absurdity of their own theories. Pseudo-scientists are not inferior to them, trying to pass off their fabrications as discoveries allegedly made by them.
For example, in recent years, articles have appeared on the pages of the press, as well as on the Internet, that the Atlanteans (the existence of which the authors did not question) have achieved such high progress that they have carried out extensive research activities in the field of nuclear physics. Even the disappearance of the continent itself is explained by the tragedy that occurred as a result oftheir failed nuclear test.
