The Akallabêth is the account of Númenor’s destruction in J.R.R. Tolkien’s legendarium.
It is one of the major sections of The Silmarillion and recounts the rise and fall of the island kingdom of Númenor. The Númenóreans were descendants of Men who had been rewarded after the First Age, but their growing fear of death eventually contributed to rebellion against the order of the world.
Sauron exploited that fear and became a powerful influence over King Ar-Pharazôn. The king’s attempt to seize immortality led to Númenor’s downfall and the reshaping of the world. Elendil and his sons survived the catastrophe and later founded kingdoms in Middle-earth.
The title Akallabêth is from Adûnaic, the language of Númenor, and is commonly translated as “The Downfall.” It should not be confused with the Ainulindalë, which tells of the creation of the world, or the Valaquenta, which describes the Valar and other powerful beings.