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Why did Plato mention Atlantis?
Atlantis (Ancient Greek: Ἀτλαντὶς νῆσος, Atlantis nesos, “island of Atlas”) is a fictional island mentioned in an allegory on the hubris of nations in Plato’s works Timaeus and Critias, wherein it represents the antagonist naval power that besieges “Ancient Athens”, the pseudo-historic embodiment of Plato’s ideal state …
Did Plato make up the story of Atlantis?
The original story of the lost island of Atlantis comes to us from two Socratic dialogues called Timaeus and Critias, both written about 360 BCE by the Greek philosopher Plato. Together the dialogues are a festival speech, prepared by Plato to be told on the day of the Panathenaea, in honor of the goddess Athena.
Where did the myth of Atlantis come from?
The origins of Atlantis The story was first told in two of Plato’s dialogues, the “Timaeus” and the “Critias,” written about 360 B.C. Though today Atlantis is often conceived of as a peaceful utopia, the Atlantis that Plato described in his fable was very different.
What did Plato have to do with Atlantis?
Plato mentions Atlantis in his dialogues – Timeaus and Critias as a fictional island that besieges “Ancient Athens”. The island acts as a metaphor in his allegory about hubris, which concludes with Atlantis submerging into the Atlantic Ocean.
What did Plato say Abot Atlantis?
Plato says that Atlantis was a city built on desires by the God Poseidon and his son Atlas . It sat on an island in the Atlantic and was made of concentric circles. This city grew to be a powerful empire but was destroyed by earthquakes and floods.
What is Plato told us about the Lost Continent of Atlantis?
Interestingly, Plato tells a more metaphysical version of the Atlantis story in “Critias.” There he describes the lost continent as the kingdom of Poseidon, the god of the sea. This Atlantis was a noble, sophisticated society that reigned in peace for centuries, until its people became complacent and greedy.
What is special about Atlantis?
– Atlantis first appeared in Plato’s dialogues Timaeus and Critias in 360 BCE. – Atlantis is named after Poseidon’s son Atlas, who is also the namesake of the Atlantic Ocean. – Atlantis was said to exceed the combined land area of Asia Minor and Libya.