Atlantis, Fact or Fiction?

Question

How many people believe Atlantis may have really existed? of course all the stories wouldn't be true, such as some of their technology. I heard a story about Atlantis inventing power crystals that generated enough power to supply energy for the entire USA of today. Things like that are obvious bull c**p. But would the existence of the great Atlantis really be such a stretch?

I am just looking for some opinions cause I have studied it some myself and I believe it existed long ago. I am merely curious of what others think about the possible existence of Atlantis

Answer 1

I think Atlantis is fake. There is no evidence of an underwater city that I have heard of. I also think that people couldn't have adapted to become "fish people". If they did, their ancestors would have spent a LONG time at sea and swimming around I would think.

Answer 2

Plato wrote about an ancient lost island called Atlantis.

He states that the account was translated from the Egyptian by Solon. He also states that Critias (Plato's close relative) had Solon's original translation in his possession. If the original manuscript actually existed, Plato likely has access to it.

Plato locates it in the Atlantis Ocean just outside the "Pillars of Herakles" (today the Straits of Gibraltar).

He says it was a central plain with Mountains on the West, North, and East. The central plain of Atlantis is described as being 2000 x 3000 Greek stades in size; which equals about 79,212 US square miles (roughly the size of South Dakota).

Nowhere does he call it a Continent.

Nor does he say it sank in a single day and night.

What he says is that in a single day and night, the Greek army was swallowed by the Earth. He then says that "in the same manner" Atlantis was "swallowed by the sea." But nowhere does he indicate the two events happened at the same time.

Every theory I've seen on Atlantis is either based upon Plato or relies on him for at least some support. This makes Plato's writing the only clear common ground, among all interested parties, in discussions about Atlantis. Plato is the foundation upon which most Atlantean theories are based.

Strangely though, many people who discuss Atlantis (both skeptics and true believers) have never actually read the original account; which is actually quite short.

The account is found in Plato's Timaeus and Critias dialogues. The actual Atlantean sections of any book with Timaeus and Critias, are reasonably short. For example, in the Penguin classic edition, the complete dialogue of Timaeus is about 100 pages long, but the Atlantean section is only 8 pages long. Critias is only 17 pages long.

Linguistically, Plato's writings on Atlantis are reasonably straight forward. In nearly all cases, the meaning of the original Greek is clear enough.

As far as I am concerned, people should be free to choose to accept what Plato wrote, or to reject it. However, what I do have a problem with, is when people take what Plato actually said and twist it into what they claim he "meant" in an effort to adjust Plato to support their theory about Atlantis. They often do this just so they can then say "Plato supports my theory."

You can download a free, pdf copy of my "New Atlantis Reference Edition" from my website:

http://www.greekatlantis.org  

This edition contains Jowett's translation with aligned referencing, explanatory essays, and a comprehensive concordance.

Answer 3

i believe it in a sort. you should look up edgar cayce, the "sleeping prophet", he used to talk about atlantis in some of his prophesies and a lot of other non-atlantis ones were to a tee.

Answer 4

From what I remember from grade ten history, there are sunken cities and records of sunken cities that the myth of Atlantis may have derived from. So no, not such a stretch but a definite possibility.

There are so many myths that surround Atlantis, though, it is most likely that there is a grain of truth to the story but most of it is legend & hyperbole & down-right false. Like, it wouldn't have been called Atlantis and it wouldn't have lived up to all the hype (energy crystals & what not). Kind of like King Arthur. There was probably a guy who united a bunch of tribes, but he probably didn't have Excalibur and it's doubtful his name was Arthur.

Still, it's fun to think about, whether it was real or not, right?

Answer 5

Many archaeologists now think that the story of Atlantis was inspired by the true story of the Minoans, a highly advanced ancient Greek civilization known for having a powerful navy and building beautiful palaces with rich murals and indoor plumbing (among other things) before they mysteriously disappeared.

In recent times, evidence has surfaced which strongly suggests that one or more massive tsunamis generated by a European volcano eruption wiped out most of the Minoans, along with their culture and  navy -- leaving the few survivors vulnerable to invaders, who captured the Minoans' land for their own quite easily!

Answer 6

i know that theres a place called canyon lake. and in the middle (of this very big and deep lake) was a place called crystal city. and they flooded it to build it again. thts close.

Answer 7

Fiction.  It especially could not have existed a long time ago.  Technology today could barely support an underwater city.  It would be impossible before the 1950s.

Answer 8

of course! earth is getting flooded everyday but very slowly so obviously there was a city that could of flooded long ago like san fransisco.....its gonna flood in the next 150 yrs

Answer 9

I think Atlantis might exist(but maybe just a sunken city with dead people and no life except for fishies) Power crystals? That's stupid.