Plato’s Atlantis description and location Sources: Plato describes Atlantis mainly in Timaeus and Critias. Where Plato placed it: Atlantis was said to be beyond the Pillars of Heracles. The Pillars of Heracles usually means the Strait of Gibraltar. So Plato’s Atlantis is placed outside the Mediterranean, in the Atlantic Ocean, west of Gibraltar. Plato says it was larger than Libya and Asia combined — but ancient “Libya” meant North Africa, and “Asia” often meant parts of Asia Minor, not the whole modern continents. Basic layout: Atlantis was an island empire. Its royal city had concentric rings of land and water. The center had a sacred island with a palace/temple. There were canals, bridges, harbors, docks, and massive walls. The city had advanced engineering, irrigation, agriculture, metalwork, and naval power. Political description: Atlantis was ruled by kings descended from Poseidon and a mortal woman named Cleito. The island was divided among ten kings. They had laws engraved on a pillar and performed ritual sacrifices. Military description: Atlantis was a powerful naval empire. It controlled many islands and parts of the mainland. Plato says it tried to conquer lands inside the Mediterranean. Ancient Athens supposedly resisted and defeated Atlantis. Destruction: Atlantis became morally corrupt and greedy. The gods judged it. It was destroyed by earthquakes and floods in a single terrible day and night. The island sank beneath the sea. Plato says the sea there became difficult to navigate because of mud/shoals left by the sunken island. Timeline Plato gives: The story is set about 9,000 years before Solon. Since Solon lived around 600 BCE, that places Atlantis around 9600 BCE in Plato’s account. Most important location clue: “Beyond the Pillars of Heracles” = outside Gibraltar, Atlantic side. So the clean Plato-based location is: Atlantic Ocean, west of the Strait of Gibraltar, not inside Greece, not Egypt, not Santorini, unless you argue Plato transformed an older memory.