There is both some archaeological evidence and a body of historicity to support the one-time existence of Sodom. Google it and you’ll see for yourself.
There’s also the fact that many places in the Bible that were once thought to be legend have been found in reality. Jericho was once thought to be legendary yet it is now accepted to be a real place. Given that Jericho was contemporary with Sodom it stands to reason that Sodom was also a real place. If it wasn’t then the people who were reading the Old Testament would’ve been asking the question, “What’s this phony story about Sodom?”
I’d say there’s a preponderance of evidence that would support Sodom being a real place. In much of the USA these days that’d be more than enough to get an indictment from a jury.
Some sites of supernatural events haven’t left any traces that men know of today.
“Given that Jericho was contemporary with Sodom it stands to reason that Sodom was also a real place.”
I believe that scripture is inerrant and that Sodom WAS a real place just as described in Genesis. However, I need to point out that Sodom and Jericho were separated by a very long period of time. Jericho was mentioned in scripture during the Exodus....many, many years after Abraham and Lot and the Sodom and Gomorah accounts of Genesis.
Personally, I believe what is left of Sodom is under the Dead Sea. However, finding Jericho doesn’t validate the existence of Sodom....Although as I said, I do believe it existed just as the Bible said. I don’t need proof otherwise. It would be nice to help convince unbelievers...but I wonder if it would? God told the rich man in torment that letting him warm his still living but unbelieving brothers would not change them. They have the scripture is what God said. If they didn’t believe it, they would not believe even if one were to come back from the dead.
I didn’t say Sodom didn’t exist. I said we haven’t found it. Which happens to be true. One of the common notions is that it’s under the Dead Sea.
I don’t think Jericho was ever considered legendary, though the whole “walls fall down” bit certainly has been.
Jericho has been inhabited more or less continuously for 8 or 10 thousand years, so nobody ever had a chance to forget where it was.