Ancient history essay:
Trojan War: fact or fiction?
A discussion of the historical accuracy of the Trojan War.
It was believed that the Trojan war began because there was a marriage between Peleus and Thetis the sea goddess, they had not invited Eris the Goddess of discord to their Wedding. The Goddess was angry and broke into the wedding and threw a golden apple of the table. Hera Athena and Aphrodite reached for the appl. Zeus said that Paris prince of Troy shall ace as the judge. Paris agreed to act as the judge, Hera promised him power, Athena promised him wealth and Aphrodite promised him the best good looking women in the world. Paris chose and went with Aphrodite and she promised him Helen the wife of Menelaus would be his wife. Paris set of for Sparta of search of Helen, In Sparta Menelaus husband of Helen invited Paris as a royal guest. When Menelaus left Sparta to go to a funeral Paris stole Helen from her husband and some of Menelaus wealth In troy Paris and Helen where married this occurred approxiemently 1200 B.C. When Menelaus heard of this he was angry then he followed Paris to Troy and he demanded Helen back of Paris , Paris said no he cannot have her Menelaus then told Paris you and troy will fall down. Not long after Menelaus tried to kill Paris But the Trojan hero hector killed Menelaus. Menelaus Bother Agamemnon was outraged because hector killed his brother then he demanded the war that is no known the Trojan war.
Discussion of the historical accuracy of the Trojan war. To cover this topic here are some points that are included, When did troy enter the Greek society, Is there any problems with homers sources, Is there any sources besides Homer and his writings. Has there been any archaeological evidence that have been found that point to the Trojan War , Is there any problems with that evidence. Is there any modern authors and there interpretations about the Trojan war. Is the Trojan War fact or fiction (was it written as a myth conclusion)
Troy entered the Greek society about 4000 years ago, but there was nine different layers that have been found and each layer has a different date. So it is believed that Troy was occupied at different times. In the 1870’s a German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann excavated a city in Turkey called Truva. These excavations revealed several cities which he found he believed that this was all connected to the ancient city of Troy
The first layer of ruins that was found dated 3000 to 2600 B.C.E, The second layer of ruins dated in 2600 to 2250 B.C.E. The third layer of ruins dated 2250 to 2100 B.C.E, Fourth layer of ruins found dated 2100 to 1950 B.C.E. The fifth layer that was found dated 1900 to 1800 B.C.E , The sixth layer of troy which was found dated 1800 to 1300 B.C.E. The Seventh layer of troy that was found dated 1260 to 1190 B.C.E. The eighth layer of troy existed between 700 – 350 B.C.E and then final layer existed 350 to 400 A.D. It was believed that the Trojan War occurred between 1194 to 1184 B.C.E this date might not be accurate enough as the ruins that have been found have no dates between 1194 to 1184 B.C. The site number six looks like the troy which homer was writing about but it left a little evidence cause it looked like it was destroyed from a earthquake not a war.
Also homers writings are very hard to understand as they are written in a poetic form. There are many issues that are faced with homers Iliad and odyssey as it might be bias towards troy or towards the Achaeans. Also another issue of homer is that he might of made this story many years after the Trojan war he might of not been alive then. The story might of been passed years and years on until it eventually got to homer as he wrote it and now most people know the story of the Trojan war and how it began. There are no sources which have been found concerning the Trojan war besides homers Iliad and odyssey so archaeologist may have to search deeper to find the mystery behind homers Iliad and odyssey.
There is not much Archaeological evidence which link to the Trojan war, But Heinrich Schliemann Discovered multiple findings which may link to the Trojan war and Troy. He found a mask which he believed it belonged to Agamemnon which may be linked to the Trojan war. This mask was a funeral mask that was made out of Gold this was found on a face of a body located in a burial area. Archaeologists research suggest that the mask dates from 1550-1500 B.C.E. He also excavated the nine mystery cities of troy in 1870. There was also a coin which was found in troy , it had a image of Hector the Trojan war hero which fought for troy it shows him throwing balls of fire at the Greek ships it dates from the second century B.C.E. This was found in 1996 by an unknown archaeologist. There has been many coin like this which have been found in the modern day turkey, most of these coins symbolises the Trojan war but this is what the modern day archaeologists thinks but it might just be another war. There has been large number of weaponry that have been found in Turkey , these weapons where bronze and dated back to around 1200 B.C.E this was around the time of the Trojan war. There was a painting that was found by Schliemann in the late 1800’s the painting was a battle scene which was around an hour drive from troy. Schliemann believes that this painting was about the fight between Hector and Achilles this dated approxiemently 1100 to 1300 B.C.E. There was also a third defence line that was found at troy. This is a line defence that was behind the stone wall this was believed to be dated to the late Bronze age. Also Schliemann discovered a trench which is one thousand three hundred feet from the stone walls of troy this was discovered in 1873. Both the third defence line and Schliemann’s trench date back to over 1000 b.c.e.
From all of these archaeology findings there are a few problems with these evidence. The mask of Agamemnon may have not of belonged to him it may of been dated far back to 1550-1500 B.C.E but it might not of been Agamemnon it could be another person who may of fought in a war in Greece and had a similar burial with the mask. Also there may have not been nine cities of troy , there could of just been one city of troy and the others maybe other cities which where not named troy but where in the same area after. This could possibly happen after the Trojan war , as other Greeks could of settled in there. The image on the coin which was dated in the second century B.C.E , yes this coin maybe hector but this coin was made many years after the Trojan war. So people probably believed homers poems and created a coin with the prince hector on it defending his city troy. This could be the same with the painting which was 1100 to 1300 B.C.E. The weapons that have date back to the same time which the Trojan war may of occurred but it these weaponry might of been used for other wars besides the Trojan war. Also the Trench that was found near troy by Schliemann might be a trench which was used in a other why by the people of Troy. It might have nothing to do with the Trojan war. But Doctor rose is a person who has studied homers Iliad and odyssey he believes that ‘if there was a Trojan war the third defence line which they have found more likely links tothe troy which homer was writing his poems about.
There are many modern day authors who have there thoughts about the Trojan war there was one in particular which was found. His name is Iman Jacob Wilkens he wrote a book called where troy once stood. This author wrote this book after twelve years research on the Trojan war. After all of his research he thinks that the Trojan war was written as myth , homer was just writing this as a fictional poem. He believes that the Trojan war could not fit into where Troy stands today, He thinks that one hundred thousand man ready to fight could have not all fit into a small piece of land. Some examples that the author used is , The Achaeans built one thousand one hundred and eighty six ships for there attack on troy, But they could of just travelled on foot as it is more shorter by land than by water, also it is allot more cheaper , this is only of course if troy was really located in the Greek/Turkish setting. The Turkish setting had not enough room to fit that much Achaeans ships at once. The author believes there were no bronze weapons found that are used in the Trojan war(but there where bronze weapons found but there not sure if it was for the Trojan war). Also Wilkins believes If there was a Trojan war it could not exist in Turkey it he believed that the Trojan war took place in England. He also believes that the war was between one group of Celtics and another group of Celtics. As there is much more room there also there was bronze weapons which where found near Cambridgeshire England which he thinks links to the Trojan war as the weapons date back to 1300 B.C.E.
To wrap up this major mystery the final question is the Trojan war fact or fiction?
After all this research and the multiple findings. The archaeological evidence which has been found that link to the Trojan war is a very big finding. The coin which had the Trojan hero Hector defending his city troy, and the painting of hector and Achilles fighting each other. This may be a big archaeological finding because these evidence may unlock the mystery of the Trojan war. But there maybe problems which are all listed above as the coin is created many years after the Trojan war also the painting may have been interpreted wrong. Also the Author Iman Jacob Wilkens believes that there is not enough evidence that the Trojan war occurred in the modern day part of turkey as it was to small to fit all the men, But if homer was Greek and wrote in Greek how can the Trojan war possibly occur in England? I believe if there was a Trojan war it would of occurred somewhere in Greece but not for certain in Turkey. Also most people do not believe the Trojan which homer wrote about because he uses alot of Greek Gods, as know Greek Gods believe that it is a myth so could homer writings just be all one big myth? After all this research of the Trojan war I think that the Trojan war is a mystery and it always will be until the right archaeologist finds the write evidence backing up Homer and believing that the Trojan war really did happen, or finding another source which goes all against homers poems and all his theories.
Bibliography
- Book Where troy once stood
- http://www.uc.edu/news/NR.asp?id=1589
- http://www.where-troy-once-stood.co.uk/where-troy-once-stood.htm
- http://www.iit.edu/~agunsal/truva/truva/truva.html
- http://www.stanford.edu/~plomio/history.html
- http://home.swipnet.se/~w-63448/grekhist2.htm
- Wikipedia searches used the links of the Trojan war and Schliemann
