The Link between Atlantis and Santorini

Atlantis
Atlantis, one of the oldest myths of mankind, was a prosperous land according to historical beliefs which disappeared and sunk into the sea without trace by the anger of gods.
Many people, reflecting our modern geographic view-point, think that the name 'Atlantis' is derived from the Atlantic Ocean. It seems both the island's and ocean's name are derived from the mythical giant Atlas. Atlas is a great mythological legend, who held the sky upon his shoulders.
Plato used the name Atlantis while detailing the classical Atlantis story in two of his dialogues, Kritias and Timaeus. Since Plato explained the whole Atlantis event (what happened to Atlantis!) in the form of a story and not as an objective report of events, it is still not clear about which location of the place Plato referred in his story as Atlantis. Since there is no guideline to be followed to identify the location of Atlantis, people all over the world have been assigned Atlantis to almost every possible place on earth.
Locating Atlantis by using its name is next to possible. Although the location has been vague in detail, there are a few clues to be found in Plato’s story that force many people including historians think that the destructive Minoan eruption on Santorini is linked with Atlantis.

Atlantis - According to Legend
According to ancient Egyptian temple records, in those days, powerful rulers of Atlantis had formed a confederation by which they controlled Atlantis and other islands as well. They began a war from their Atlantic Ocean homeland and sent fighting troops to Asia and Europe.
Atlantis people attack was halted by men of Athens, who formed a coalition from all over Greece.
But the coalition met difficulties; the allies deserted Athens. But, the Athenians fought on alone and defeated the Atlantian rulers. Not only, they stopped an invasion of their own country as well as freeing Egypt, but also brought every country under the control of the rulers of Atlantis, eventually.
At the end, the Athenians fought an aggressive war against the rulers of Atlantis and won. But the fate is not in favor of Athenians. Shortly after the Athenian victory, even before they could return home, Atlantis suffered catastrophic floods and earthquakes until it disappeared beneath the sea. All the brave men, who fought for Atlantis, were swallowed by that horror. That’s why the Egyptians were ever grateful to the Athenians.

Santorini
Santorini (technically composed of three separate islands: Thira, Thirasia and Aspronisi Thira), a spectacular sight which is completely unlike any other island in the Cyclades, is the diminutive Greek volcanic island. Its large basin-like depression resulting from the explosion makes up the bay. Santorini in its current form is a horseshoe shaped group of islands with steep towering cliffs, specked with picturesque villas and decorated with ferrous reds and sulfuric yellows. Its beaches are filled with fine black sand. Thira is the largest of the 3 islands and also the site of the original eruption.

Santorini has the most important archeological site, which is even more ancient than Santorini, called Akrotiri. This is the most significant discovery of a prehistoric settlement located in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The crucial link between Atlantis and Santorini
Is Atlantis identical with Santorini? Could Atlantis be Santorini? Like this there are so many questions from investigators which are waiting to be resolved. Many serious investigators think that Santorini could be Atlantis and the source of the above legend is actually the Minoan eruption of Santorini. There are also some fairly convincing arguments and references from Plato’s writings. But again, the vagueness in detail continues. Nobody, so far, could map correctly what Plato has described in his writings with the original landscape existing right now. Although, the existing Thera archaeological findings clearly demonstrates that there was a rich and civilized marine community whose flourishing economy was provided by intensive trade and shipping, before the Minoan eruption. Unfortunately, so far, investigators could not able to found a single human body killed by the eruption.

Conclusion
Even today, geological evidence related to 1500 BC in the form of a gigantic volcanic eruption, which caused half of the island to sink into the sea, is there for all to see. According to legends, a lost city has been said to have sunk in the Bay of Naples at that time. Everything what Plato has written can be mapped to the existing findings. But, nobody is quite sure about what was told by Plato is related to Atlantis or not. The myth remains…