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A Brief History of Atlantis: Plato's Ideal State
The Atlantis story remains one of the most haunting and enigmatic tales from antiquity, and one that still resonates very deeply with the modern imagination. But where did Atlantis come from, what was it like, and where did it go to?
Atlantis was first introduced by the Greek philosopher Plato in two dialogues the Timaios and Kritias, written in the fourth century BC. As he philosophises about the origins of life, the Universe and humanity, the great thinker puts forward a stunning description of Atlantis, an island paradise with an ideal society. But the Atlanteans degenerate and become imperialist aggressors: they fight against antediluvian Athens, which heroically repels their mighty forces, before a cataclysmic natural disaster destroys the warring states.
His tale of a great empire that sank beneath the waves has sparked thousands of years of debate over whether Atlantis really existed. But did Plato mean his tale as history, or just as a parable to help illustrate his philosophy?
The book is broken down into two main sections plus a coda - firstly the translations/commentaries which will have the discussions of the specifics of the actual texts; secondly a look at the reception of the myth from then to now; thirdly a brief round-off bringing it all together.
483 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
November 10, 2018
A history of conceptions of and debates about Atlantis, with a detailed examination of its inception with Plato and then up to the present day. It doesn't go in depth about the ways Atlantis has been portrayed (and there's almost nothing about popular culture), but I think it would be a valuable research guide for someone who wanted to know more.
January 21, 2026
I thought this account was brilliant history, a perfectly done whistle stop tour of Atlantis and it’s use through history. I say use, as Kershaw pretty categorically and persuasively makes the case that’s all Atlantis was, a philosophical tool to think with.
Kershaw convincingly makes this case through tracing Atlantis’ roots in Plato’s Timaeus and Critias, which he translates in the book, with very useful and thorough footnotes explaining the context. I never realised the entire discussion of Atlantis originates from a mere 30 pages when put into English, which was unfinished!
He then charts the many fold uses of Atlantis over the last two millennia, from curious investigators to those looking to justify millennia. Kershaw is witty and highly readable throughout, treating each theory with academic respect, though you can sense the wry smile as he discusses some of the more ‘out there’ accounts of Atlantis.
A great book which categorically explores a famous myth I knew little about, with a sobering thesis of how ideas can be twisted to whatever agitators want them to mean.
Kershaw convincingly makes this case through tracing Atlantis’ roots in Plato’s Timaeus and Critias, which he translates in the book, with very useful and thorough footnotes explaining the context. I never realised the entire discussion of Atlantis originates from a mere 30 pages when put into English, which was unfinished!
He then charts the many fold uses of Atlantis over the last two millennia, from curious investigators to those looking to justify millennia. Kershaw is witty and highly readable throughout, treating each theory with academic respect, though you can sense the wry smile as he discusses some of the more ‘out there’ accounts of Atlantis.
A great book which categorically explores a famous myth I knew little about, with a sobering thesis of how ideas can be twisted to whatever agitators want them to mean.
July 26, 2020
Good if you want a history of atlantis, or where Atlantis has been mentioned in history, but a little dry for me. It was interesting to see how many countries have tried to intimate that their people come from Atlantis.
March 25, 2024
The existence of Atlantis has been a topic of conversation and contention since the days of the Ancient Greeks. Plato, one of the most famous Greek philosophers, wrote widely about the existence of the “island of Atlantis.” Dr. Steve P. Kershaw, professor and tutor of Classics at Oxford University, has written an interesting history of how Plato and his philosophical descendants viewed Atlantis. The Search for Atlantis: A History of Plato’s Ideal State (New York, Pegasus Books, 2022, xi, 426 pgs., $27.95) is a highly readable recounting of the evolution of the idea of Atlantis and how that idea has been conceived as the quintessential state by both free-spirits and Fascists alike. Such is the evolution of a widely disputed philosophical concept.
The Search for Atlantis is an excellent narrative history. Dr. Kershaw understands that his subject is just as interesting to general readers as it is to academic specialists. He writes for the reader that is only fairly familiar with Atlantis and the reader who teaches philosophy on a post-secondary level. The sources used by Dr. Kershaw are ancient works from the Greek world and modern volumes that have a background in pseudohistory. Dr. Kershaw weaves these sources into a text that, despite the small print, reads like a historical novel.
The Search for Atlantis is just the book that can spark an interest in classical history. The world of the Ancient Greeks is still relevant for our current generation. Modern societies can learn a great deal from the inquisitiveness that characterized the Ancient Greeks. Dr. Kershaw has written a masterful history and a foundational piece of Greek History or Western Civilization classroom. The Search for Atlantis is nonfiction writing at the highest level.
Matt
The Search for Atlantis
Dr. Steve P. Kershaw
Simon and Schuster
simonandschuster.com
9781681778594 $27.95 US $12.99 Kindle xi 420 pgs.
The Search for Atlantis is an excellent narrative history. Dr. Kershaw understands that his subject is just as interesting to general readers as it is to academic specialists. He writes for the reader that is only fairly familiar with Atlantis and the reader who teaches philosophy on a post-secondary level. The sources used by Dr. Kershaw are ancient works from the Greek world and modern volumes that have a background in pseudohistory. Dr. Kershaw weaves these sources into a text that, despite the small print, reads like a historical novel.
The Search for Atlantis is just the book that can spark an interest in classical history. The world of the Ancient Greeks is still relevant for our current generation. Modern societies can learn a great deal from the inquisitiveness that characterized the Ancient Greeks. Dr. Kershaw has written a masterful history and a foundational piece of Greek History or Western Civilization classroom. The Search for Atlantis is nonfiction writing at the highest level.
Matt
The Search for Atlantis
Dr. Steve P. Kershaw
Simon and Schuster
simonandschuster.com
9781681778594 $27.95 US $12.99 Kindle xi 420 pgs.
November 12, 2017
A classic scholar gives the most convincing answer to the quesiton of what is Atlantis and where was it?
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews