315: Atlantis: Legacy of the Lost Empire (Part 2)

In this episode of "The Rest Is History," Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook delve into the historical interpretations and evolving myths surrounding Atlantis, sparked by Plato's initial account. They trace Atlantis's resurgence during the Renaissance and its connection to European obsessions, the discovery of America, and the theories of figures like Gamara and Diego de Landa. The discussion covers Atlantis as a utopia, its shifting locations in nationalistic narratives, and the influential, albeit eccentric, Ignatius Donnelly, whose work mixed Plato with modern traditions. The conversation extends to the Nazis' appropriation of Atlantis as the Aryan homeland, Arthur Evans's discovery of Minoan civilization, and Graham Hancock's environmental interpretations, questioning whether the Atlantis myth is a gateway to white supremacy or a reflection of environmental anxieties.