The True Story of Troy

1. Describe the legend of the Trojan War.

-wedding of parents of Achilles -didn’t invite Discord but she crashes the party…offers a golden apple to the fairest -3 claim it—Zeus appoints Paris to make the decision--- gave it to Aphrodite and she promises him Helen (most beautiful) he steals her from husband -King of Sparta asks Agammenon for help -winds didn’t blow so Agammenon sacrificed his dgt. -1000 ships set sail -10 years of fighting -ruse of Trojan horse—Greeks sail off and the Trojans broke down the wall to let it in---full of greek soldiers -destroyed by Greeks… -homecoming not so much fun for Greeks:

2. What is the source of the legend?

-oldest writings in Western Civilization—Iliad and Odyssey

3. What is known about Homer?

-blind man illiterate? -5 centuries after the events -credited as author of Iliad and O. -lived around 750 BCE -came from a region close to Troy??? 4. How was the story of Troy passed on?

-passed orally (16 thousand lines of poetry -singers -added to and altered -inherited by Homer

5. Who was Heinrich Schliemann? Describe his career prior to becoming an archaeologist. -rich adventurer -war profiteer, dealt on black market -self-made millionaire -speculated on business in Russia and the U.S. made him rich -believed in Homer

6. What did he do to the site of Troy? -dug a huge trench into the site—destroyed a lot of it -piles of rubble were the stuff he should have looked at.

7. What did he find there in 1873? What was later learned about this treasure?

-gold buried there -cups, jewels, -claims it is King Priam’s treasure -treasure is 2500 years earlier than Priam. -may have stolen his discovery from another archaeologist Frank Calvert -without ever setting foot on Troy he writes a book based on Calvert’s information…..

8. What kind of person was Schliemann? -tells world he is the sole discoverer of Troy -thief -showmanship -dedicated his fortune though to proving Homer true -unscrupulous opportunistic -he destroyed so much of the site that it is not possible to find out at the time

9. What was eventually found at Troy 6 and 7?

-rhose are the levels that are contemporary to Troy -they find evidence of catastrophe -level 6 is the height -level 7 shows evidence of siege

10. What has been discovered by Korfman near the city of Troy?

-south along the Agean. -50 burials containing Mycenaen grave goods -Bay of Troy was different at the time of the Trojan War and would have been closer to the city -finds a trench/ditch cut into the bedrock, defensive purpose—dated to Troy 6 -enemy spear tips in walls of Troy -pottery fragments etc. to show size of the settlement significant number are from the Bronze Age, -extended ¼ mile out from the city

11. What is the strategic advantage of Troy and how did it likely play a role in the Trojan War? -sea born trade route critical to controlling east-west trade -controlling bronze production

12. Describe the site at Mycenae and what has been found there. -walls are 40 foot tall -lion’s gate a strong statement about the power of the M. King -Schliemann uncovers a huge amount of riches there -remains of a palace -relics, murals

13. What has been discovered at Pylos? -evidence of feasting – all bulls – 10 can feed 6000 people -all the same parts— -huge pile of little drinking cups—1000s of guests -tablet: in linear B—talks about sacrifices to Poseidon

14. How was the battlefield an exercise in individual conquest? -personal glory---“heroic age” -fame -proving himself by who you individually fight and how you do against him -character matters -personal reputation -prove himself honourable 15. What does the Trojan Horse symbolize?

-trickery and deceit -stealing victory -legends other than Homer’s Iliad -dishonourable behaviour -could be a siege engine or battering equipment

16. What are the likely causes for the collapse of Bronze Age Greece?

-in-fighting between kingdoms -civil war -outside invaders -string of earthquakes -economic collapse