Proclus, a 5th-century Neoplatonist philosopher, quoted Marcellus regarding the concept of Atlantis in his commentary on Plato’s Timaeus. According to this fragment, Marcellus described:
- Seven Islands Sacred to Persephone: These islands were dedicated to Persephone, daughter of Zeus, and held religious or cultural significance.
- Three Islands of Enormous Size: These three islands were described as “enormous,” implying significant landmass compared to the others.
- Atlantis – the Very Large Island: In addition to the other islands, there was a particularly large island named Atlantis, sacred to Poseidon. It was said to dominate all other islands within the Atlantic Ocean.
This interpretation aligns with Plato’s original narrative of Atlantis as a powerful island civilization located beyond the “Pillars of Heracles” (modern Strait of Gibraltar).
The mention of seven islands sacred to Persephone and three enormous islands suggests a vast network of lands in the Atlantic that had cultural and religious importance in ancient myths, reinforcing Atlantis’s grandeur.
