Give an overview/definition of what the myth of Atlantis refers to. Which author preserved it for posterity, when, and in which works? * Give a detailed account of what the myth is about. * How has scholarship interpreted the myth? Do they think it is based on real events? If so, which ones? Be specific. * The event in question is the infamous eruption of the volcano of the Aegean island Thera in the late 17th century BCE (1613 BCE according to current theories). Talk a little about that eruption. Why is it important? What were its consequences for the island, the Eastern Mediterranean, and Europe in general? * While the BBC docudrama is interesting and helpful, please, use the scholarly discussion in the second documentary, which includes scenes from the docudrama. In other words, I would like to see a serious discussion, not an account of tearjerker scenes from the docudrama. Yes, they are shown to engage in human sacrifice to appease the gods, but we really do NOT know whether the Therans actually engaged in it. We only have evidence that the Minoans performed human sacrifices during emergencies like major earthquakes. So, stick to the facts, not the reconstruction of the docudrama. It is tremendously useful, of course, so that you can get an idea of how people lived back then, but do not use its reconstruction and its fictitious characters.
