From Legend to Reality: the Trojan War

From Legend to Reality: the Trojan War

The origins of this story of the ten years long war of gods and mythological heroes, told in Homer’s epic poem Iliad, have been questioned until Heinrich Schliemann’s archaeological excavation in the 19th century revealed the city and its history. Of course, the war in the 13rd century BC, in the Mycenaean age, broke out not over the person of Helen, but because of territorial conquest.

Troy

The city, known as Ilion in archaic Greek, located in northwest Anatolia, was protected by impregnable walls.

Trojan horse

According to the legend, Odysseus, King of Ithaca, once saw
one of his soldiers carving a wooden horse. This gave him the idea of the subterfuge. He had an enormous wooden horse constructed and the very best of the Greek warriors, including Achilles,
hid inside the wooden horse, while the others sailed away
to a nearby bay.

The Trojans believed that the Greeks had given up trying to besiege the city, and towed the horse, which they thought was a gift
of the gods, back to the city. When the Trojans, having celebrated their victory, fell asleep, the Greeks emerged from the horse and opened the gate for their fellow warriors waiting outside the wall.

Going to war for a beautiful lady

According to ancient Greek legend, the Trojan War broke out because Paris, the Trojan prince, took Helen from her husband Menelaus, king of Sparta.

Homer

Presumed author
of Iliad and Odyssey,
two epic poems written in the 8th century BC. The legend of Troy had existed centuries
before the time of Homer.