In the year 2000, while conducting a search for 18th-century French warships in the Mediterranean, French archaeologist Franck Goddio stumbled upon a discovery that sent shockwaves through the archaeological world. Off the coast of Egypt, deep beneath the surface of the sea, he uncovered the lost city of Thonis-Heracleion—an ancient metropolis that had been relegated to legend for centuries. This city, known to both the ancient Egyptians and Greeks, was a vital trading hub over 2,000 years ago, yet had disappeared from the maps of history, swallowed by the Mediterranean Sea.

The ruins of Thonis-Heracleion offered up an extraordinary treasure trove of artifacts and clues to its once-glorious past. Goddio and his team uncovered 64 ships perfectly preserved in the seabed, 700 anchors, a staggering collection of gold coins, and colossal statues standing 16 feet tall. Among the most impressive finds was the remains of a massive temple dedicated to Amun-Gereb, the supreme deity of ancient Egypt. The city’s sprawling network of granite structures, remarkably well-preserved despite the passage of millennia, painted a vivid picture of a bustling port city once crisscrossed by canals, drawing parallels to a submerged Venice. For centuries, Thonis-Heracleion was the gateway to Egypt, a thriving hub of trade and culture that welcomed merchants and travelers from across the ancient world. Ships from distant lands would dock in its harbors, unloading their goods and engaging in commerce with the Egyptians. Yet, despite its prominence, this once-great city vanished beneath the waves, leaving only whispered stories of its existence in ancient texts.

How did this remarkable city come to be submerged? Historians and scientists are still grappling with this mystery. Some theories suggest that a series of natural disasters—earthquakes, floods, or tsunamis—may have caused the city to sink. Other hypotheses propose gradual subsidence of the land due to rising sea levels. The truth remains elusive, adding yet another layer of intrigue to this extraordinary find. What is clear, however, is that the rediscovery of Thonis-Heracleion is one of the most significant underwater archaeological discoveries of our time, opening a window into a forgotten chapter of ancient history.