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Joining The Dots
I have now published my new book, Joining The Dots, which offers a fresh look at the Atlantis mystery. I have addressed the critical questions of when, where and who, using Plato’s own words, tempered with some critical thinking and a modicum of common sense.Read More »
Xenophon
Ecbatana
Ecbatana is the name given to the capital of the ancient Median Empire and is known today as Hamad?n in Iran. It is mentioned in the Bible (Ezra 6:2 Tobit 3:7 Judith 1:1 and 2Maccabees 9:3) and by the Greek historians Herodotus and Xenophon. Ecbatana is one of a number of ancient cities that various writers have suggested as the inspiration for Plato’s Atlantis. This particular association is probably based on its reported seven concentric walls of different colours. Similar claims have been made for other Persian cities, such as Susa and Firuzabad(a).
However, as archaeological excavations drew to a close in 2006 no remains of anything earlier than the Parthians (248–224 AD) had been found although the dig had reached down to virgin soil. Not a single piece of Median evidence was found.
Socrates
Socrates was born and died in Athens (c.470-399 BC). He was responsible for the development of what became known as ‘socratic dialogues’, in which a small number of participants would engage in discussing philosophical concepts(a). Plato was responsible for expanding the use of such dialogues.
Socrates was also one of the characters in Plato’s Atlantis dialogues, Timaeus and Critias. Although he left no writings, his ideas come to us through Plato and Xenophon. Socrates was Plato’s teacher and together with him and Aristotle, Plato’s pupil, they made up what is often referred to as the Heroic Trinity of Greek philosophy.