By Ned Gilford
The myth of the Trojan War has captivated people for thousands of years and has led pilgrims, explorers and archaeologists to search for the location where the famed conflict took place.
But did the city really exist?
The ill fated citadel's destruction was determined when Paris abducted Helen from the clasps of Menelaus in Sparta, sparking the Trojan war. Priam (father of Paris and king of Troy), attempted to withstand the 10 year siege from the Greeks through various military methods. However, the whole citadel was eventually destroyed by the Achaeans around 1180 BCE. The plan begun by leaving a hollow wooden horse outside the gates of Troy. The Trojans thought this was an offering from the Gods, so willingly took it inside the gates. Unknown to them, Troy was about to turn to a bloodshed as night fell upon them.....
Through the many literary sources we have left, such as the Iliad and Aeneid, we have obtained details that aid us further in research and searching for the long lost ruins of Troy; burnt to crisp in the late Bronze Age. Some may argue that this was just a myth, the allure of the story led many to search for the site of Troy.
In one extract of the Iliad, Homer describes Troy as “well founded”, “strong built”, “well walled”, and there are also several references to battlements and high towers. This information helps us distinguish between the various layers of Troy Heinrich Schliemann excavated in 1870.
Heinrich Schliemann was a German archaeologist and is most famous to have discovered Troy in Asia Minor. Huge publicity surrounded Schliemann’s finds, as he announced that he had found the ancient citadel of Troy. You probably are wondering where Asia Minor was? On a modern scale, Troy is located in the Northwest Corner of Turkey and here you can view 9 sites of Troy, which all have their unique features. Schliemann believed Troy II was the real site, as he knew the extent of wealth Troy was built upon. At this site, he discovered silver and gold vessels and jewellery, which he named “Priam’s treasure” and the “Jewels of Helen”. At this site, there was a megaron (suggesting a wealthy civilisation) and archaeological findings show that Troy II was destroyed by fire. This evidence interpreted by Schliemann was questioned for some time, as people believed that Troy flourished at a later stage.
Troy’s site was reconsidered and, looking at the detail, arguments sparked regarding Troy VI or Troy VIIa being the true sites of Troy. Both sites existed around 1700-1200 BCE, covering the late Bronze Age. There were tall walls, as well as foundations where towers had once stood (as described by Homer). Also, discovered on site Troy VIIa, were arrowheads, spears and helmets, as well as the wealth of precious jewellery amongst the ruins.
Despite these similarities, they were destroyed in different ways. Evidence is clear that Troy VI was destroyed by an earthquake, whereas Troy VIIa was sacked by a collection of Achaean troops. Amongst other rumours, Troy VIIa was engulfed in flames, as Troy was described as burning in the Aeneid when Aeneas escaped.
From the archaeological perspective we see a rich history that was uncovered by Schliemann. The sites provide hope to pull apart the myth of the Trojan War to make it reality, witnessing the links put down by Homer 4,000 years ago, and the archaeology of the Late Bronze Age.
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