First, in "Timaeus", Atlantis is reported to have been established at approximately 9000 BCE, roughly the same time that Thera came into power. Along the same lines, the destruction of Atlantis occurred in 1490 BCE, also the same time period that Thera was destroyed. Asides from the dates, the geographic figures are also similar. For instance, each had a trade route that was 110 miles in length, and a peak plain which was 11 miles in diameter. Also, the populations were both around 500,000 - 800,000, of which 120,000 were employed in the military, which possessed 120 ships (Civilization). However, these are not the exact figures. While translating the notes of Solon, Plato made an error. He interpreted the Greek symbol for 100, as the symbol for 1000, thus throwing every statistic off by a factor of ten. Despite the resulting inaccuracy of the dates and figures, they are still consistent, and nevertheless in accordance with Thera's numbers. This error was noted, and is now known as "The Tenfold Theory" (Pickett 142). .
Both Atlantis and Thera were highly developed civilizations. Plato's description of the culture of Atlantis is distinctly Minoan, as was the actual way of life on Thera. There are, in fact, many similarities between the two cultures, such as: geography, dominance in the sea, recreation and art, people and religion. Plato had described Atlantis as "alternating rings of sea and land, with a palace in the center" (Luce 121). Not coincidentally, the remnants of post eruption Thera are circular, around a deep lagoon, with another small island in the center. Also, Plato speaks of the stone quarried from under Atlantis: "one kind of stone was white, another black, and a third red" (Plato 45). The first sight of Thera that modern tourists see are the sheer cliffs that remain. These cliffs are a breathtaking mix of white, black, and red stone - a unique sight in the Aegean world.