Atlantis does not exist

The idea that Atlantis refers to a real place was largely popularised in the 19th century due to a book by the writer Ignatius Donnelly, 'Atlantis, the Antediluvian World', which suggested that advances in the ancient world were due largely to a pre-existing, earlier, civilisation like that of the Atlantis mentioned by Plato.^[1] Today, as is widely accepted, 'most historians and scientists throughout history have concluded that Plato’s account of the lost kingdom of Atlantis was fictional'.^[2] There is not enough tangible evidence to link Plato's island of Atlantis to a real historical event or geographical location. One main problem is the fact that Atlantis is only mentioned in Plato's works Timaeus and Critias. There are no other historical documents which support the existence of a lost civilisation in the Atlantic Ocean. Furthermore, advances in modern technology mean that should Atlantis exist; it could be located through scientific means. As has been written, 'despite modern advances in oceanography and ocean-floor mapping, no trace of such a sunken civilization has ever been found.'^[3] In addition to lack of written, historical evidence, there is therefore also a distinct lack of scientific evidence. The most likely theory regarding Atlantis is that it was created for Plato to relay his philosophical ideas. This is the belief of James Romm, a Professor of Classics at Bard College. He believes that Plato's 'ideas about divine versus human nature, ideal societies, the gradual corruption of human society—these ideas are all found in many of his works. Atlantis was a different vehicle to get at some of his favorite themes.'^[4] The moral degeneration of the Atlantians, which destroys their civilisation and island, is a warning from Plato about how a seemingly perfect society can bring about its own destruction.