City: Heracleion (Thonis)<br />1. Date: 8th century BCE<br />2. Time Period: Late Pharaonic Egypt<br />3. Century: 8th–4th BCE<br />4. Location: Mediterranean coast, Egypt (submerged)<br />5. Founder: Unknown (Greek-Egyptian port)<br />6. Established: ~8th century BCE<br />7. Reign: 400+ years<br />8. Generations Ruled: Unknown<br />9. Last Ruler: Ptolemaic Dynasty<br />10. End of Empire: Sunk (2nd century BCE)<br />11. Reason for Collapse: Earthquakes, floods, and rising sea levels.<br /><br />10 Facts About Heracleion:<br />1. Discovered in 2000 by Franck Goddio’s team in Aboukir Bay, Egypt.<br />2. Named after Hercules, whom legend claims visited the city.<br />3. Served as Egypt’s main Mediterranean port before Alexandria.<br />4. A 5.4-meter-tall red granite statue of Hapy (Nile god) was found intact.<br />5. Submerged due to soil liquefaction triggered by a 2nd-century BCE earthquake.<br />6. Over 700 ancient anchors discovered, the largest concentration ever.<br />7. The “Stele of Thonis” settled debates about Heracleion’s dual identity.<br />8. Gold coins bore Pharaoh Nectanebo I’s face (380–362 BCE).<br />9. Temples dedicated to Amun and Khonsu hosted Greek-Egyptian rituals.<br />10. Listed by UNESCO as part of Egypt’s underwater cultural heritage.<br />________________________________________<br />10 Myths About Heracleion:<br />1. Atlantis Connection: No evidence links it to Plato’s Atlantis.<br />2. Cursed Treasures: No curses documented; artifacts are ritual offerings.<br />3. Overnight Sinking: Sank gradually over decades, not suddenly.<br />4. Pirate Hideout: Was a lawful trade hub, not a pirate base.<br />5. Cleopatra’s Palace: No proof she lived there, though she may have visited.<br />6. Alien Influence: Conspiracy theories lack archaeological backing.<br />7. Mythical Monsters: Tales of sea serpents guarding it are fictional.<br />8. Christian Relics: No early Christian artifacts found; pagan-centric.<br />9. Treasure Hoards: Wealth was ceremonial, not hidden loot.<br />10. Greek Conquest: It cooperated with Greeks, wasn’t destroyed by them.<br />________________________________________<br />#Heracleion, #LostCity, #AncientEgypt, #SunkenTreasure, #MarineArchaeology, #HistoryMystery, #UnderwaterDiscovery, #Pharaohs, #AncientHistory, #Egyptology, #FranckGoddio, #Thonis, #ClimateChangeHistory, #MythVsFact, #UNESCOHeritage<br />
