The story of the lost city of Atlantis is one of the most enduring legends in Western culture, but to understand its origin, one must see it as Plato intended. Learning how to understand the Myth of Atlantis as a political allegory reveals that it was not a historical account, but a powerful cautionary tale. Told in Plato’s dialogues, the *Timaeus* and *Critias*, the story of Atlantis and its war with ancient Athens serves as a grand mythic illustration of his political philosophy, contrasting a virtuous, ideal state with a powerful but corrupt empire.
Table of Contents
🏛️ Ancient Athens: The Embodiment of the Ideal Republic
In the myth, the character Critias describes an ancient, primordial Athens that existed 9,000 years before his time. This ancient city is presented as the perfect embodiment of the ideal state that Socrates described in the *Republic*. It was a society governed by a class of wise guardians, characterized by moderation, courage, and justice. This fictionalized Athens represents the pinnacle of political virtue, a city living in harmony with the philosophical principles that Plato held most dear.
🌊 Atlantis: A Story of Imperial Hubris and Decline
In contrast to the virtuous Athens stands the mighty island empire of Atlantis. Initially, Atlantis is also described as a noble and virtuous society, blessed with immense wealth and resources. However, over generations, the divine nature of its people becomes diluted, and they are overcome by greed, ambition, and hubris. Atlantis becomes a corrupt and decadent imperial power, seeking to conquer the known world. Its immense material power stands in stark opposition to the spiritual and moral strength of ancient Athens.
⚔️ A Mythic Battle of Virtue vs. Power
The heart of the story is the great war between these two powers. The vast and technologically advanced empire of Atlantis launches an invasion to subjugate Athens and the rest of Europe. Despite being vastly outnumbered, the small, virtuous city of ancient Athens successfully repels the invasion, demonstrating the superiority of its just and well-ordered society. The myth concludes with the gods sending earthquakes and floods to punish the hubristic Atlanteans, causing their entire island to sink beneath the sea in a single day and night. The story is a powerful allegory showing that moral virtue and justice are ultimately more powerful and enduring than mere material wealth and military might.
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Keum, Tae-Yeoun. Plato and the Mythic Tradition in Political Thought. The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2020.
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- How to Interpret the Myth of Er in Plato’s Republic
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- Hannah Arendt: Who Asked You to Believe?
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