Atlantis: The Discovery with Dan Snow

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Summary

The historian travels to Greece to discover if there is any truth in this tale of the legendary island in the Atlantic Ocean that supposedly disappeared beneath the waves. He investigates real ancient cities that were destroyed by earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis - could these have inspired the story of Atlantis?

Review

David Butcher

Channel 5’s top historian goes on a snow patrol around southern Greece, looking for ruins he can connect to the myth of Atlantis. He soon abandons the idea Atlantis might have been a real place: it’s a legend, a story cooked up by Plato around 360BC, but one that an expert here suggests has “little reality sprinkles on top”.

So Snow strolls around in a linen shirt admiring archaeological sites in Crete and the Peloponnese — the kind of thing that Bethany Hughes does well. And when there’s sun and scenery and Minoan murals to enjoy, it makes for an agreeable tour.

Knossos, Pavlopetri, Akrotiri, Helike: each site offers hints that connect to the Atlantis story — a city destroyed by the waves (or an earthquake, or a volcanic eruption, or a combination of disasters). Snow concludes that the historical basis for Plato’s tale may have been a “pick and mix”.

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rolenamePresenterDan SnowDirectorNick Gillam-SmithExecutive producerBill Locke

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