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 audiobook is broken down into two main sections plus a coda - firstly the translations/commentaries, which discuss the specifics of the actual texts; secondly a look at the reception of the myth from then to now; and thirdly a brief round-off bringing it all together.