‘Is Atlantis based upon an anachronism?’

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AI – ‘Yes, the Atlantis story contains anachronisms, with the most significant being the timeline, as Plato places the story over 9,000 years before his own time, which is a massive historical exaggeration. Some scholars also argue that other elements, such as the specific details of the civilization, may be inconsistent or anachronistic because they were likely invented by Plato as a philosophical allegory rather than a historical account.  

Anachronisms in the Atlantis story

  • The timeline: 

Plato places the events of Atlantis approximately 9,000 years before his own era, a timeframe considered too ancient for the civilization he describes to have existed in the way he portrays it. 

  • Historical inaccuracies: 

The story contains anachronistic elements that suggest it is a fictional allegory rather than a historical record. For example, Plato describes a society that reflects his own philosophical ideas about an ideal state, but places it in a time far before the existence of such societies. 

  • The purpose of the story: 

The Atlantis story is part of a Socratic dialogue and is not intended to be a literal historical account. Plato uses it as a cautionary tale and a philosophical allegory to make a point about the dangers of hubris and the ideal form of a state. 

  • Possible inspiration for the myth: 

Some scholars suggest that Plato’s story may have been inspired by real events, such as the Minoan civilization’s collapse due to the Thera eruption, or the failed Athenian invasion of Sicily. However, these events occurred much closer to Plato’s time than the 9,000 years he mentions. 

Conclusion

The Atlantis story is best understood as a philosophical allegory with likely anachronistic elements, not a literal historical account. While there may be kernels of historical inspiration, the narrative as presented by Plato is a fictional creation designed for a philosophical purpose, with the most obvious anachronism being the exaggerated timeline.’

My 2nd Q. – ‘According to Solon did the lost Egyptian Sacred Registers purportedly contain any statements which suggest that Atlantis existed?’

AI – ‘According to the story as told by Plato, the lost Egyptian Sacred Registers did contain statements suggesting that Atlantis existed. The primary source for this claim is Plato’s dialogues, Timaeus and Critias, which state that Solon translated Egyptian records that spoke of the island of Atlantis. 

  • Source: 

The story of Atlantis comes to you from the writings of the Greek philosopher Plato, who lived around 360 BC. 

  • According to Plato: 

Plato claimed that the Athenian statesman Solon, who visited Egypt between 590 and 580 BC, learned of Atlantis from an Egyptian priest. 

  • The Translation: 

Solon supposedly translated ancient Egyptian records that contained the story of the lost island civilization. 

  • The Content: 

These records allegedly described an advanced and powerful island nation that was eventually destroyed by a cataclysmic event and sank into the sea.’


My 3rd Q. – ‘What was the source of Plato’s dialogues Timaeus and Critias?

AI – ‘The source of the Atlantis story in Timaeus and Critias is a tradition passed down to Plato from the Athenian statesman Solon, who heard it from Egyptian priests. Plato uses this tradition as the basis for a fictional narrative in his dialogues to illustrate his philosophical ideas, not as a historical account. 

  • Primary source: The story’s source is presented as an oral tradition, transmitted from the Athenian lawmaker Solon, who was a visitor to Egypt. 
  • Egyptian priests: Solon is said to have heard the tale of Atlantis from Egyptian priests who were knowledgeable about ancient history. 
  • Plato’s use of the story: Plato adopted this story to serve as an introduction to his Timaeus, which discusses the creation of the universe. The full story was intended to be continued in Critias, a dialogue that would demonstrate Plato’s political philosophy in practice. 
  • Fictional context: The dialogues are not historical treatises but philosophical myths designed to teach lessons about ideal societies and the nature of the cosmos. …

Plato presents it as a story that was originally told to the Athenian statesman Solon by Egyptian priests, and was then passed down through several generations of Solon’s family orally before Plato wrote it down. Plato frames the narrative as a long-standing oral tradition.’

So, Plato presents the story of Atlantis in Timaeus and Critias as a story that was originally told to the Athenian statesman Solon by Egyptian priests, which was then passed down through several generations of Solon’s family orally, before Plato wrote it down. In other words, it appears that the story was transmitted to Plato through a longstanding oral tradition.

‘For most of human history, knowledge was passed down through oral tradition.’ (Leila Amineddoleh, ‘Words Words, Words: Books, Libraries, and the Law’, 28 Chap L. Review, 493 (22025), at 495, citing Patrick D.Nunn, ‘The Oldest True Stories in the Word’ (Oct. 18 2018).

Therefore, if AI‘s reply above is accurate, unless the version transmitted to Plato was based upon fiction, i.e. entirely invented, and provided Plato faithfully repeated what he was told, then logically, it is reasonable to conclude that the story of Atlantis is to an unknown extent, based upon fact. That is because ‘Registers’ – sacred or otherwise, typically record facts, including events, and are not designed to serve as literary devices for allegory.

Furthermore, if the story is allegorical, why would Plato make an allegation about the translation of ancient Egyptian records, i.e. about the Egyptian Sacred Registers, because if the originals existed in his time and were accessible the story could be verified, and if not, i.e. if the sacred registers which did once exist were lost, and one day could be found, they would provide documentary evidence either in contradiction or support of what Solon is reported by Plato to have said. Plato died in around 348/347 BC. 590 minus 348 = 242. In other words, Plato did not meet Solon. So, what he is reporting is not based upon contemporaneous first hand witness testimony.

The Sacred Registers have never been found, and copies may exist in undiscovered monuments which today, lie buried under the sands of Egypt.

The details in the story fit with the geography.

For a further discussion of this apparent coincidence, see the programmes in the Links on the blog.

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