Ancient Atlantis was a small, and (about the size of present-day Austria) located in the Atlantic Ocean between North America and Europe, which sank beneath the seat approximately 20,000 years ago. The constant of Atlantis boasted one of the most highly advanced civilizations of its age. Founded about 21,000 years ago (19,000 BC), the civilization of Atlantis predates that of any known human civilization, and began a mere 4000 years after the retreat of the last ice age. Originally, Atlantis was a land of barbarians, one of whom, Kull, left and gained the throne of the nearby kingdom of Valusia. Over the 500 years between Kull's time and the sinking of Atlantis, Atlantis became the center of a small empire of sailors, craftsmen, traders, astrologers and alchemists. Atlantean sea vessels reached as far as the South Pole with a discovered the Antarctic jungle in Game preserve they named Pangea (meaning " paradise "). Atlantean alchemists created the Serpent Crown, a vessel empowered by the demonic Elder God Set. The Serpent Crown is one of the few artifacts of ancient Atlantis crew survived until modern times. To historical personages of the Atlantean age are known to date. One of the few is Kull, the barbarian king ruled Atlantis about 500 years before it sank. Kull was renowned as the slayer of the arch wizard Thulsa Doom and was the enemy of the Serpent People, nonhuman but humanoid offspring of Set.

The last years of ancient Atlantis sought direction of the giant glass like Dome over the capital city of the empire (also called Atlantis). Its last rulers were King Kamuu and his wife Queen Zartra, a native of the Lemurian Isles, which had been conquered by the non-human race of Deviants. The Atlantean empire had been in a state of decline after Kull's era. The empire was reeling with civil war in all of its provinces and the fighting kept encroaching closer and closer to the capital city. Finally barbarians from the Lemurian Isles attacked Atlantis on behalf of the Deviants Empire, and to rout their forces King Kamuu opened the magma pits, which were the city's means of heating. The Lemurian invaders were destroyed by the molten lava, but due to unprecedented volcanic pressure beneath the city, the magma released triggered a seismological cataclysm. First the capital city, and then the entire continent of Atlantis itself was rack by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. At the same time, the Deviants themselves launched the attack on the surviving Second Host of the alien Celestials. The Celestials retaliated by causing and nuclear cataclysm which sank Lemurian and created shockwaves that Chirac the entire world. As a result local geological compulsions and the after effect of the Lemurian cataclysms, the entire continent of Atlantis fragmented and banished beneath the Atlantic Ocean in about a week.

There were few survivors of the Atlantean catastrophe. The largest concentration of survivors was in the southern city of Netheria, whose priests and intellectuals foresaw attack by the Lemurians. They closed at their small city in the dome of on known plastic like substance and excavated and fortified their cities foundation. Consequently, when the continent of Atlantis and fragmented, Netheria remained intact as it sank, coming to rest in a huge sub sea cavern. Finding a way to recycle their air supply, the Netherians renamed their realm the Netherworld. The Netherworld now under the rule of Queen Kala, exists today.

Tiny bands of Atlantean is managed to find refuge on neighboring islands of the European continent, which were buffeted by the Atlantis catastrophe but not destroyed, the nearby island of Attilan, home of the genetically advanced but reclusive in humans, also survived the cataclysms virtually and scratched.

About 10 dozen years ago, a new type of human being appeared in the Atlantic Ocean possessing gills to breathe underwater, the origins of Homo mermanus are lost. The capacity to breed underwater, found prior to this time in search individuals of both the Inhuman and Deviant races, may have been scientifically bestowed upon members of mainstream humanity by Inhuman or Deviant geneticist. The legend of the water breathers themself credits Neptune, god of the sea was shipped by the Greeks and Romans, with their transformation from air to water breathers. The theory of Homo mermanus is a result of natural evolution is unsupportable.

For millennia, the tribe of Homo mermani were nomadic, wandering the Atlantic Ocean, preying upon small fish for food, using shells of huge crustaceans for shelter, a and developing but the most rudimentary tool making culture. Finally, about eight hundred years ago, the undersea try discovered the ruins of the capital city of ancient Atlantis, which had lain undisturbed since Atlantis sank 12,000 years before. The prince of the Sea People, named Kamuu after the legendary surface Atlantean ruler, happened upon the throne of his ancient namesake. Upon recovering the original Kamuu's stored, the spirit of the last king of ancient Atlantis visited him. The spirit of King Kamuu bade his water-breathing namesake to settle here on the site of old Atlantis and found a new Atlantis. The young Kamuu convinces people to settle and they began to build a new city of Atlantis.

The under city of the plant this fell victim to natural disasters and sieges by barbarian tribes over the next few millennia, but each time Atlantis was rebuilt in a greater splendor. About 500 years after the founding of the undersea Atlantis, a group of Homo mermanus left the city and made their way to the Pacific Ocean to group founded the city of Lemuria on the opposite end of the now submerged continent of Lemuria from that settled by the Deviants. Duty acquisition and worship of a Serpent Crown, the magical artifacts from the pre cataclysmic Atlantis, the Lemurians' complexions and features have taken a more serpentine cast than their Atlantean forebears.

Little is known about Atlanta and History between the time of the founding of Lemuria and the modern era. The Atlanteans' historical records, graven in stone until the relatively recent invention of a paper like substance made from seaweed, had been all but lost in the dark ages of Atlantean history. The god Neptune is believed to have dwelt among the a plantains in mortal form during this period, promoting his worship, a practice that continues today. The Atlanta fans also encountered Deviant refugees at some time in the past 200 years, and it was from them that they learn to the rudiments of technology. The Atlanteans had very little contact with their surface dwelling parents raised until recent times. This was largely due to the fact that neither water breeders' nor air breathers could survive the upside there native environment for more than minutes without drowning. With the recent inventions a portion to enable a water breeder to breathe air for up to five hours, greater interactions between the races became possible.

About a century and a half ago, Atlantis was attacked by hordes of undersea barbarians haling from the nearby province of Skarka. Although the Atlanteans managed to repel the invasions, the city of Atlantis sustained heavy damages. Emperor Thakorr, who ascended the throne after former King Immanu died in battle with the barbarians, result to move the capital city of the empire from a traditional site. He led the Atlantean populous south; with a fount a newer Atlantis not far from the continent of Antarctica the Atlanteans lived in peace there the 1920's, when an American ship was sent to Antarctica to clear a path through the icebergs. The detonation of explosive debt charges rock the underseas City, killing a tenth of its inhabitants. Thakorr bade his daughter Fen to sign a scouting party to investigate the attack. The adventurous Fen decided to go herself. Fen learned that the bombardment was not an act of war, and became romantically attracted to the ship's captain, Leonard McKenzie. The American and Atlantean were soon married and Fen later gave birth to Namor, a mutant highbred of the two races. Most of McKenzie's crew were slain by the Atlanteans believed they help Fen captive.

Namor possesses the ability to breed in error and underwater and became the Atlanteans first emissary to the surface world. At first hostile to his father's people, he joined with American heroes to former the Invaders in order to battle Nazi aggression. After World War Two, Namor encountered Paul Destine, an American who on earth the Serpent Crown from the Antarctic hiding place where band of Lemurians had buried. Destine use the Crown to amplify his natural psonic powers and as an exercise of power, destroyed the nearby city of Atlantis with the mental blast. Namor's grandfather Thakorr and mother Fen were among the many casualties of the Atlantis's destruction. Namor was rendered amnesiac by the blast of Destine's power to, and wandered the surface world for decades before the Human torch help restore his memory. Namor returned to his native sea, but the Atlanta fans who survived Destine's attack and not easily found.

Eventually, Namor was reunited with his people, and was crowned prince of Atlantis. Namor decided to rebuild the Atlantis on its original site in the North Atlantic rather than his grandfather's choice site near Antarctica. With the surface world burning of the existence of Homo mermanus, Atlantis was subjected to even more tumultuous fortunes. Three-time to the Atlantis declare war on the surface world and bring troops into Manhattan Island, only to withdraw them before casualties or sustained. Namor even petition the United Nations to accept Atlantis into its organization and was rejected on more the one occasion. Following the death of his betrothed, Lady Dorma, Namor abdicated the throne of Atlantis for time. In his absence, the barbarians and plunders besieged Atlantis. Before long the Atlanteans begged Namor to return to the throne and he agreed. The Atlanteans were then the victims of accidental nerve gas poisoning, leaving thousands of Homo mermani who dwelled in the capital city ended deathlike,. One Namor had exhausted other possible sources of aid he turned to his onetime ally the power hungry Dr. Doom. Namor agreed to serve Doom for a time if Doom would use his scientific expertise to revive the Atlanteans. Both parties upheld their end of the bargain, and the Atlanteans were revived for time, the Atlanteans revered Namor for his role in their resuscitation with such fervor that it rankled him. Sometime later, however, the ruling council of the Atlanteans assessed Namor's leadership, evaluated the impact of his continual leaves of absence from the kingdom, and voted that Namor give up his role. Namor reluctantly agreed. The city of Atlantis and its small empire of colonies is currently ruled by Lord Vashti.

First Modern Appearance of the Atlanteans: FANTASTIC FOUR ANNUAL #1