Strabo (c. 64 BC – 23 AD) was an important Greek geographer and historian who wrote (i) of his full agreement with Plato’s assertion that Atlantis was fact rather than fiction.

The location of the Pillars of Heracles, mentioned by Plato, is assumed by very many to have been situated near the Strait of Gibraltar. Other researchers have claimed that this was not the only location and have referred to various classical writers to support this contention, one of whom was Strabo, who records (ii) the variety of opinions regarding the location of the Pillars of Heracles among classical writers, adding that Alexander the Great on reaching the easternmost point in his military campaign erected an altar with ‘Pillars of Heracles’, giving further support to the view that the ‘Pillars’ were not a singular landmark but a feature that was to be found at different locations at different points in history. Strabo noted that, in the distant past 300 cities lined the coasts on either side of the Pillars.

Strabo also wrote (iii) of Hera’s Island as being one of two islands located near the Pillars of Heracles. In this connection it must be mentioned that a temple of Hera was discovered near Marsaxlokk on Malta, the larger of the two principal Maltese islands.

(i) Geographia (2.3.6/7)

(ii) Geographia (3.5.5)

(iii) Geographia (3.5.3)