““According to some theories, the legendary Atlantis, said to have sunk beneath the sea in a great cataclysm, is in actuality the Greek Island of Santorini, which sank partially during the eruption of a volcano around 3500 B.C.E. In any case, by the second millennium B.C.E. , the Greek Isles already boasted flourishing commercial towns. Major centers displayed all the trappings of civilized living that characterized the ancient world, from monumental architecture in stone to well-organized trade and political systems. On the larger islands, such as Rhodes and Cyprus, there was often more than one prosperous, bustling town. Because of their strategic locations, some towns became major maritime centers.””
