Helike was a Greek coastal city destroyed in 373 BC when a catastrophic nighttime earthquake caused sudden land subsidence, immediately followed by a massive Gulf of Corinth tsunami. The city submerged and all inhabitants drowned. Strikingly, Plato was alive when this happened — some theorize this real disaster inspired his Atlantis tale.
Helike: Greek city destroyed by earthquake and tsunami in 373 BC
GreeceGeneral
Site mentioned
Key facts
- Helike was an ancient Greek city destroyed in 373 BC
- A catastrophic earthquake struck the region at night
- The earthquake caused land subsidence followed immediately by a massive tsunami from the Gulf of Corinth
- The tsunami submerged the city and drowned all inhabitants
- Plato was alive when this event occurred
- Helike may have inspired Plato's Atlantis narrative
Sources
quest4ancients.com
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