Was Homer’s Island of Scheria the Real Atlantis?

In contrast to the common view that Plato was the first person to write about Atlantis, some researchers try to argue that there are earlier Greek writers who mentioned it. One example is Homer. In the Odyssey, he wrote about an island called Scheria. This island is presented in mysterious terms, which have led to the theory that it was the same as the island that Plato later wrote about and called Atlantis. What is the evidence for this theory, and does it really stand up to scrutiny?

What is the Island of Scheria? 

The island of Scheria appears in the Odyssey, which was written by Homer in c. 650 BCE. It is the last place visited by Odysseus on his journey home. After being stuck on Calypso’s island for seven years, Odysseus was finally allowed to leave on a makeshift raft. After eighteen days of travel, he arrived at the island of Scheria. It is said to look like a shield in the sea.

This territory was also called Phaeacia, and the people were Phaeacians. It was a very rich country with impressive buildings and infrastructure. The people were welcoming and accommodated Odysseus’s every need. There was even a palace with bronze walls and golden doors. 

The ships of the Phaeacians receive particular attention. The Odyssey says that they were steered by thought. This is how they are described:

“The ships themselves understand what it is that we are thinking about and want; they know all the cities and countries in the whole world, and can traverse the sea just as well even when it is covered with mist and cloud, so that there is no danger of being wrecked or coming to any harm.”

Additionally, these ships are described as being incredibly fast. Homer says (perhaps as an exaggeration) that not even a falcon could keep up with them.

Was Scheria Really Atlantis?

Why do some researchers believe that the island of Scheria, or Phaeacia, was really identical to Plato’s Atlantis? There are a number of reasons for this, some of which are readily discerned from the summary of the island that we have just considered.

The Type of Civilisation

Atlantis was supposedly a very rich civilisation. For example, Plato describes it this way in the Critias:

“Now Atlas had a numerous and honourable family, and they retained the kingdom, the eldest son handing it on to his eldest for many generations; and they had such an amount of wealth as was never before possessed by kings and potentates, and is not likely ever to be again.”

On this basic level, Scheria is a match for Atlantis. The Phaeacians are described as possessing immense wealth. Homer clearly considered their civilisation to be very impressive, since he devotes a considerable portion of the Odyssey to describing it.

Despite the wealth of the Atlanteans, Plato says the following about them:

“They despised everything but virtue, caring little for their present state of life, and thinking lightly of the possession of gold and other property, which seemed only a burden to them; neither were they intoxicated by luxury; nor did wealth deprive them of their self-control; but they were sober, and saw clearly that all these goods are increased by virtue and friendship with one another.”

So as well as being incredibly rich, the Atlanteans are also depicted as being morally upright. This is consistent with Homer’s description of the Phaeacians. They are incredibly kind and hospitable to Odysseus, in complete contrast to the inhabitants of almost every other location that Odysseus arrived at.

Naval Superiority 

One of the main features of Atlantis in Plato’s account is the fact that it is an island civilisation. The Atlanteans control one main island (Atlantis itself), several others, and parts of the continent. By implication, they must have been capable seafarers.

Later in his description of Atlantis, Plato mentions that their island had at least 1200 ships. He also comments that ‘the docks were full of triremes and naval stores’. Although Plato does not go into detail about the type of ships that they had, it is clear that Atlantis is supposed to have been a strong naval power, one that is based on an island.

Although Homer, in contrast, does not go into detail about the number of ships that the Phaeacians had, it is likewise clear enough that they had very effective naval capabilities. While it is impossible to equate the two exactly, both accounts are arguably consistent with each other.

In the Atlantic Sea

Famously, Plato placed Atlantis in ‘the Atlantic Sea’. This term, meaning ‘Sea of Atlas’, is almost always interpreted as a reference to the Atlantic Ocean. This is seemingly confirmed by the fact that Plato also places Atlantis ‘in front of the Pillars of Heracles’.

Traditionally, this is interpreted as meaning that Atlantis was outside those pillars. Since the Pillars of Heracles are most regularly associated with the Strait of Gibraltar, this would have to mean that Atlantis was outside the Mediterranean and thus in the Atlantic Sea. 

How does this tie in with information about Scheria? After all, most interpretations of Odysseus’ travels do not place him outside the Mediterranean. However, there are some that do. It is not just some modern authors that speculate this. Even some ancient commentators did.

Regarding the island of Scheria in particular, Strabo made a point of arguing that this location was in the Atlantic Ocean. One particular line seemed, to Strabo, to suggest that Scheria was in the Atlantic. The line in question is:

“Far apart we live in the wash of the waves, the farthermost of men, and no other mortals are conversant with us.” 

Furthermore, Homer also placed some of Odysseus’ travels beyond Oceanus, the world-encircling river. According to one common interpretation, this would have to mean that Odysseus went outside of the Mediterranean, into and beyond the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.

Walls of Bronze

Recall that the palace on Scheria was said to have had walls covered in bronze. These walls were said to ‘shine like the sun’. This description is intriguingly similar to a part of Plato’s description of Atlantis.

In describing the metropolis of Atlantis, which was made up of a central island surrounded by concentric zones of water and land, Plato explains that the zones of land were surrounded by walls of metal. One wall was made of brass, which is closely related to bronze.

The third wall, which was the innermost one and thus the wall of the citadel itself, is particularly interesting. Plato says that it ‘flashed with the red light of orichalcum’. The exact composition of orichalcum is unknown, but it is believed to have been a type of bronze or brass.

Inside the citadel, there was a temple of Poseidon. The roof was said to have been adorned with gold and orichalcum, and ‘the rest of the interior was lined with orichalcum’. Although Plato does not explicitly describe a palace with walls of bronze, the basic concept of lining walls of important buildings with a bronze-like metal is something that both the Atlanteans and the Phaeacians have in common.

Unusual Harvests 

Another interesting detail that both islands have in common is related to their harvests. In Critias, Plato explains that the Atlanteans gather the fruits of the earth twice a year. In other words, each year had two harvests. In the Odyssey, we have this intriguing description of Scheria: 

“Their fruit never perishes or fails winter or summer, all through the year, but always and ever West Wind, blowing, grows some and ripens others.”

This does not specifically describe a bi-annual harvest, but it does describe a harvest that was not limited to just once per year. Although this is not an exact match, it is an intriguing similarity.

Two Springs and Hot Water

In Homer’s description of the palace of King Alcinous on Scheria, the garden is said to have had two springs within it. This is the same location where the walls of bronze were. Earlier, we associated those walls of bronze with the walls of orichalcum in Plato’s description of the central island of the metropolis of Atlantis.

Interestingly, at that same central island surrounded by walls of orichalcum, Plato says that there were two springs. One was of hot water and the other was of cold water.

Homer does not specifically mention that one of the springs of water in the garden on Scheria was hot, but he does say that the Phaeacians had hot baths. Plato also mentions baths, although without mentioning that they were hot. In any case, the two islands have some interesting similarities in this regard.

The Kings of Atlantis and Scheria 

The similarity between Scheria and Atlantis is also seen in the context of their respective kings. Atlantis was said to have been divided into ten portions, each ruled by a king. Fascinatingly, the kingdom of Scheria is also said in the Odyssey to have been divided into multiple portions. The number is not identical to Plato’s ten, but it is not far from it either. King Alcinous explains that there are twelve other kings of the kingdom, he being the thirteenth. 

There is another notable similarity. The kings of Atlantis were said to have been descendants of Poseidon, each of the original ten kings being his sons. With Scheria, Poseidon notes in a conversation to Zeus that the Phaeacians are ‘of his own line’.

Elsewhere, the father of King Alcinous is explicitly shown to be the son of Poseidon. Thus, Scheria was a naval civilisation based on an island out in the Atlantic Ocean ruled by multiple kings who were believed to be descendants of Poseidon. Undoubtedly, it is very easy to see the appeal in associating Atlantis with Scheria.

Objections to This Theory 

Despite being very appealing on the surface, there is also a considerable amount of evidence against this theory. Firstly though, let us consider some of the pieces of evidence used in support of this theory and consider whether they really hold up upon examination.

A Rich and Not-So-Powerful Naval Civilisation

It is true that Atlantis and Scheria are both described as being rich. However, this is a very generic similarity. Numerous places throughout mythology, legend, and history have been famous for their riches. The idea of coating walls with bronze or similar metals is by no means unique to Atlantis and Scheria. 

For example, the temple in Jerusalem had gold covering the interior walls. Babylon had numerous gates of copper. Various other examples could be given. The point is, the use of interior walls covered in metal is a sign of a rich nation, but nothing more specific than that.

Regarding the fact that both Atlantis and Scheria were naval civilisations, this connection fails on the basis that they were not on the same level. The Odyssey focuses on the fact that the ships of the Phaeacians knew all the countries of the whole world and could travel entirely without issue.

Yet, there is no indication at all that they were politically powerful. Plato describes Atlantis as having a ‘great empire’ and as conquering a huge portion of Europe and Africa. There is no hint of this at all in the Odyssey. While they were clearly both capable naval civilisations, Atlantis had a level of power which is simply not there in Homer’s description of Scheria.

The Two Harvests 

The argument regarding the two harvests is certainly interesting, but it too cannot be used to link Scheria with Atlantis specifically. For one thing, although it was not particularly common, there are other examples of this within mythology and legend. It is an easy way to make a land seem idyllic and paradisaic. 

For example, we find this in Diodorus Siculus’ description of the mysterious land of the Hyperboreans. We also find it in Geoffrey of Monmouth’s account of the Isle of Avalon, to which King Arthur was taken.

Therefore, while an interesting connection, it is in no way unique. Furthermore, as we already noted, Homer does not describe a bi-annual harvest on Scheria. He simply says that ‘the fruit never perishes or fails in winter or summer’. This is quite different from Plato’s description of a harvest that occurred twice a year.

The Common Sons of Poseidon

What about the fact that both Atlantis and Scheria were said to have been ruled by multiple kings, all of whom were descendants of Poseidon? Surely this is a very specific connection which cannot be easily dismissed? 

In reality, the connection is not nearly as strong or specific as it first appears. For one thing, there is no line in the Odyssey which suggests that each of the thirteen kings of Scheria was descended from a different son of Poseidon. Instead, they could have all been descended from a single son of Poseidon, which would be quite different to what Plato describes in Critias. 

In fact, King Alcinous is described as the son of Nausithous, who was, himself, the son of Poseidon. Nausithous is said to have led a migration to Scheria from an unknown land called Hypereia. Exactly how he came to be one of thirteen kings of Scheria is unclear, but it was certainly not like how Plato describes the ten sons of Poseidon coming to be kings of Atlantis.

Regarding their descent from Poseidon, this is a belief that we find all across Greek mythology. It is not even limited to the rulers of islands, although there are certainly some examples of that as well. For instance, the Cyclops named Polyphemus was the son of Poseidon, and he lived on an island.

In fact, various kings around the Mediterranean, including kings of Egypt, Athens, Thessaly, Lebanon, and elsewhere, were held to be the sons of Poseidon. Therefore, the fact that the kings of Scheria and the kings of Atlantis were held to be descendants of Poseidon is not particularly significant.

Not in the Atlantic Ocean

One more detail which might seem quite significant is the fact that Scheria was, according to some ancient writers, in the Atlantic Sea. Supposedly, this matches Atlantis. However, the situation is much more complicated than this.

Whether Atlantis really was supposed to have been in the Atlantic Ocean or not is heavily debated. The ‘Atlantic Sea’ referred to by Plato may have been called that simply in the sense of it being ‘the Sea of Atlas’, in reference to the ruler of Atlantis. This would make the sea around Atlantis the ‘Atlantic Sea’ by definition, regardless of which specific body of water it was. 

Furthermore, the reference to the Pillars of Heracles is ambiguous. While many ancient writers applied this term to the Strait of Gibraltar, it was sometimes used for other locations, such as Cape Taenarum in southern Greece, a location in Thesprotia in western Greece, the Dardanelles to the east, and elsewhere. Therefore, the location of Atlantis is so ambiguous that one could argue for all sorts of different locations and claim that Scheria, regardless of where it was, is a match.

The Real Scheria

Let us now directly confront this exact issue. Where exactly was Scheria? Does the Odyssey provide enough information for us to be able to identify it with a real location? If we can identify it, this will provide even more information for us to use in assessing whether it could have been the real Atlantis or not. 

The question of where Scheria really was depends greatly on the issue of the true route of the Odyssey. Homer places Odysseus at the River Acheron in Epirus, northwest Greece, where he entered Hades. During his journey from there towards Ithaca, he logically travelled south-south-east. This would have taken him past Lefkada, where we find a perfect match for the pass where Scylla and Charybdis were located. 

Continuing on the journey, Odysseus would have arrived at the island of Meganisi, whose appearance matches the meaning of the name ‘Thrinacia’. From there, Odysseus suffered shipwreck and drifted helplessly through the sea for nine days. He then reached Ogygia, the island of Calypso.

From there, Odysseus sailed seventeen days in a makeshift raft until he finally got to Scheria. From there, the Phaeacians took him back to Ithaca within a single night. Based on this geographical and temporal information, the island of Ogygia was very likely Malta. Scheria, in turn, can only have been an island close to Ithaca. The idea that it was out in the Atlantic Ocean is simply not possible. 

Scheria as Corfu

Yet at the same time, as we saw earlier, the Phaeacians are described as being ‘the farthermost of men, and no other mortals are conversant with them’. In view of this information, combined with the geographical information provided in the previous section, it is evident that Scheria must have been somewhere on the outskirts of the Greek islands.

A location that fits perfectly is Corfu. This is right on the outskirts of the Ionian Sea on western Greece. Yet, it is close enough to Ithaca that a fast ship could get there in about a single day. Furthermore, ancient tradition has always supported the identification of Scheria with Corfu.

We see this, for instance, in the writings of Thucydides from the end of the fifth century BCE. Regarding the inhabitants of Corfu (anciently called Corcyra), he wrote:

“Also they sticked not sometimes to boast how much they excelled in shipping, and that Corcyra had been once inhabited by the Phaeacians who flourished in glory of naval affairs, which was also the cause why they the rather provided themselves of a navy.” 

Thucydides writes about the Phaeacians having been the ancient inhabitants of Corcyra, or Corfu, without any qualification. He does not even refer to it as a belief. It is simply the fact of the matter. Therefore, we can see that at least as early as the end of the fifth century BCE, there was a very firm tradition that Corfu was Scheria, the land of the Phaeacians. 

The historical facts are consistent with this, since Corfu had formerly been inhabited by the Liburnians before it was conquered by the Corinthian Greeks in the Archaic Era. The Liburnians were certainly excellent seafaring, being famous for dominating the Adriatic Sea.

Could Corfu Have Been Atlantis?

With the real Scheria identified as Corfu, this helps us to examine further the possibility that it was Atlantis. First of all, let us consider the geography of the issue.

Could Corfu be described as being ‘in front of the Pillars of Heracles’? Well, there is early evidence that these pillars were originally placed, among other locations, in or near Thesprotia in northwest Greece. Corfu is indeed just beyond that territory, so this is a potential match. There is also evidence, as the Encyclopedia Britannica notes, that the Titan Atlas was originally imagined to have been there. So, this could definitely have been an ‘Atlantic Sea’.

Corfu also matches another part of the description of Atlantis’ geography. The Atlanteans supposedly held rule over one main island, several others, and parts of the surrounding continent. The Liburnians (the historical Phaeacians) did rule over multiple islands and parts of the mainland. The mainland in question forms part of the Balkan Peninsula. Together with Italy, this surrounds the Adriatic Sea.

Problems with the Geography

However, Plato clearly says that the sea which the continent surrounds is a ‘true sea’ in comparison to the sea within the Pillars of Heracles, which, in contrast, is like a harbour. Which harbour-like sea exists between the Pillars of Heracles in Thesprotia and Corfu, just off the coast of northwest Greece? 

Perhaps one could argue that this is a reference to the Ambracian Gulf, which has a narrow entrance. Yet, Plato also specifically describes Libya as far as Egypt and Europe as far as Tyrrhenia (in Italy) as being ‘inside the Pillars of Heracles’. Thus, his account appears to view the Mediterranean Sea in general as being ‘inside’ those pillars. 

Certainly, by no logic can the Adriatic Sea be referred to as a ‘true sea’ in contrast to the harbour-like Mediterranean. The reverse is much closer to the truth.

Lack of a Naval Civilisation

Furthermore, Plato’s account of Atlantis is not set in the Iron Age, when the Liburnians ruled Corfu. Rather, it is set in or just before the era in which the Greeks had a literate culture, which was the Bronze Age. What do we know about Corfu in the Bronze Age?

The answer is: very little. We do know that it was inhabited at that time, but there is no evidence of any significant naval civilisation in that era. Plato describes an impressive society on Atlantis, with enormous buildings, temples, harbours, houses, and waterworks. There is no evidence whatsoever for any society of this sort on Bronze Age Corfu.

Nor is there any evidence for the Bronze Age inhabitants of Corfu extending their control over surrounding islands and parts of the mainland, like the Liburnians did in later history. Plato’s description of a rich civilisation which was a centre of international trade does not match Bronze Age Corfu, the real Scheria, at all. In fact, not even Liburnian Corfu, the Scheria of Homer’s Odyssey, matches Plato’s description in this regard.

The Unsatisfying War with the Greeks

One final point to draw attention to is the issue of the war with the Greeks. In Plato’s account of Atlantis, this is a central part of the story. In fact, this is the entire reason for the story being included in Timaeus and Critias in the first place. Therefore, if Scheria was the real Atlantis, we should certainly expect there to be some evidence of a war between Corfu and Greece. 

As it happens, Corfu did fight a war against the Greeks. However, this did not happen during the Bronze Age. Rather, it happened in the seventh century BCE. To be clear, this was a historically important battle. It is famous today for being the first naval battle in recorded Greek history. Yet even so, this does not fit Plato’s description of Atlantis. 

For one thing, this battle took place after Corfu had already been conquered by the Greeks. It was actually a battle between a Corinthian colony and its mother city. The Corinthian colony on Corfu maintained an independent and even hostile attitude towards Corinth, quite unlike most colonies.

Therefore, this battle was between a recent colony and the Greek city-state that it had recently separated from. There is no indication of this in Plato’s description of the war against Atlantis. Furthermore, Atlantis was supposed to have threatened a substantial part of the Mediterranean during this war, which bears no similarity to this historical war between Corinth and Corfu. 

Conclusion 

Ultimately, the theory that the island of Scheria from the Odyssey was the same as the island of Atlantis described by Homer is based on a series of interesting but ultimately rather generic similarities between the two. Homer’s Scheria is the home of a rich and impressive naval civilisation, like Atlantis, but the Phaeacians are not depicted as being powerful in any meaningful way. They are not conquerors, nor is there any indication that they are a centre of international trade, despite their riches. The arguments based on the bronze walls, the special harvests, and the descent from Poseidon all rely on details which are simply not specific enough to justify the case.

Furthermore, when we identify Scheria as Corfu and the Phaeacians as the Liburnians, as the historical evidence indicates is the case, the theory is weakened even further. There is no evidence that there was any notable or powerful civilisation on Bronze Age Corfu, nor does it fit the geographical placement of Atlantis as described by Plato.

Sources

Pozzi, Dora Carlisky & Wickersham, John Moore, Myth and the Polis, 1991

Beaulieu, Marie-Claire, The Sea in the Greek Imagination, 2015

Paipetis, S. A., Science and Technology in Homeric Epics, 2008

Antivouniotissa Museum

Oxford Reference

Britannica

Hellenica World