TROY

Troy is a city which existed over 4000 years and known as the center of ancient civilizations. Many years, people believed that it was the city in tales and never existed until it was first found. At this time it was known as Ilium or New Ilium. Today Troy or New Ilium places in Hisarlik at Canakkale. The remains of the city - the remains from the thieves and destructors - can be visit in here. Most of what was left is the remains of the destruction of Schliemann, the famous archaeologist. Today an international team of scientists brings the Troy of the Bronze Age back to life under sponsored project by Daimler - Benz and another team is at law wars - called as Second Trojan Wars today- with Russia and Germany to get stolen Trojan treasures.And Trojan Golds are at Pushkin Museum

At first, Troy appared in Greek and Latin literature. Homer first mentioned story of Troy in Iliad and Odyssey. Later it became most popular subject in Greek drama and told its story eloborately to next generations. The book of Virgil's Aeneid contains the best known account of the sack of Troy. In addition, there are untrue stories under the names of Dictys Cretensis and Dares Phrygius.

In Bronze age, Troy has a great power because of its strategic position between Europe and Asia. In the 3rd an 2nd millennia BC, Troy was a cultural centre. After the Trojan War, the site was apparently abondoned from 1100 to 700 BC. About 700 BC Greek settlers began to occupy the Troas. Troy was resettled and named Ilion. Alexander the Great ruled over the area successively from the late 6th century BC. After Roman captured Troy in 85 BC. , it was restored partially by Roman general Sulla. After the occupation of Constantinople ( Istanbul ), Troy lost its importance.

'Ilium was for a considerable period to the Heathen world, what Jerusalem is now to the Christian, a 'sacred' city which attracted pilgrims by the fame of its wars and its woes, and by the shadow of ancient sanctity resposing upon it. Without abusing language, we may say that a voice speaking from this hill, three thousand years ago sent its utterances over the whole ancient world, as its echoes still reverberate over the modern', says Charles Maclaren, The Plain of Troy Described (1863). [From the book 'In Search of Trojan War', written by Micheal Wood].

'I would as soon as go in guest of Utopia, or of the Carib Island of Robinson Crusoe, and his Cabin; and I should return with equal emolument,' said the redoubtable Jacob Bryant of the search for Troy, which he thought never existed (1799) [From the book 'In Search of Trojan War', written by Micheal Wood].

Troy (Truva) located on Hisarlik at Canakale , one of the Turkish city in west of Turkey, the city of Dardanels, the heart of history at the World War I - Galliboli where Turks wrote the history at the World War I, Gallipoli Champaign. Canakkale has been a crossing point for armies, traders, migrating people since before history.

Charles Mclaren in 1822 found the ruins of Troy left from Helenistic and Roman Ilion at Hisarlik, Canakkale in Turkey. The German archiolog Heinrich Schlieman excavated Troy third times from 1870 to 1890. His theft of treasure from Troy and his demage (destruction) to Troy will be always rembered in Turkish archological history. Today the remains of Troy what left from Schiemann. A new German excavator team is still working to rebuild Troy ruins by using new advanced technologies since 1988. I believe after their study, Troy has a new apperance and visitors will enjoy it very much. You can find detail information about Troy excavating and high technology using in here. Also thanks to Daimler - Benz because of sponsoring troy excavating. In some writings, Schileman's credibility was began questioning. Troy, treasure and the truth is one of them.

Wihelm Dorpfeld followed to excavate after Schliemann. They found nine levels at Troy. Troy I to V relates roughly with early Bronze Age ( 3000 to 1900 BC ). Its inhabitants were known as Trojan in this period. Troy VI and VII were built in the Middle and Late Bronze Age. Troy VIII to IX belongs to Helenistic and Roman Ilion (Latin Ilium).

In the history, Troy was destroyed many times and rebuilt. Until now archeologists have founded 9 level of Troy lebeled fron I to IX. Perhaps many other levels are still hidden in it. Troy is one of the most famous city in the old history, including Hector, Rchiles and Archaian Greeks, the sake of Helen. Its story is written in ever language, Trojan horses, Archilles' heels and Odysseys have become figures in poems. From Alexander the Great to Lord Byron, they stood and gawed on the site of the great deeds of the heroes. In the history people always wondered whether the Trojan War happened or not. There Troy was. Did Helen of Troy exist? Was there a real wooden horse? Here is the famous tale of Trojan War

THE TROJAN WAR

The Trojan War has its roots in the marriage between Peleus and Thetis, a sea-goddess. Peleus and Thetis had not invited Eris, the goddess of discord, to their marriage and the outraged goddess stormed into the wedding banquet and threw a golden apple onto the table. The apple belonged to, Eris said, whomever was the fairest.

Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite each reached for the apple. Zeus proclaimed that Paris, prince of Troy and thought to be the most beautiful man alive, would act as the judge.

Hermes went to Paris, and Paris agreed to act as the judge. Hera promised him power, Athena promised him wealth, and Aphrodite promised the most beautiful woman in the world.

Paris chose Aphrodite, and she promised him that Helen, wife of Menelaus, would be his wife. Paris then prepared to set off for Sparta to capture Helen. Twin prophets Cassandra and Helenus tried to persuade him against such action, as did his mother, Hecuba. But Paris would not listen and he set off for Sparta.

In Sparta, Menelaus, husband of Helen, treated Paris as a royal guest. However, when Menelaus left Sparta to go to a funeral, Paris abducted Helen (who perhaps went willingly) and also carried off much of Menelaus' wealth.

In Troy, Helen and Paris were married. This occured around 1200 B.C. (Wood, 16).

Greek Armament

Menelaus, however, was outraged to find that Paris had taken Helen. Menelaus then called upon all of Helen's old suitors, as all of the suitors had made an oath long ago that they would all back Helen's husband to defend her honor.

Many of the suitors did not wish to go to war. Odysseus pretended to be insane but this trick was uncovered by Palamedes. Achilles, though not one of the previous suitors, was sought after because the seer Calchas had stated that Troy would not be taken unless Achilles would fight.

One of the most interesting stories is of Cinyras, king of Paphos, in Cyprus, who had been a suitor of Helen. He did not wish to go to war, but promised Agamemnon fifty ships for the Greek fleet. True to his word, Cinyras did send fifty ships. The first ship was commanded by his son. The other forty-nine, however, were toy clay ships, with tiny clay sailors. They dissembled soon after being placed in the ocean (Tripp, 584-584).

The Greek fleet assembled, under Agamemnon's inspection, in Aulis. However, Agamemnon either killed one of Diana's sacred stags or made a careless boast. Either way, Diana was outraged and she calmed the seas so that the fleet could not take off.

The seer Calchas proclaimed that Iphigenia, daughter of Agamemnon, must be sacrificed before the fleet could set sail. This was done, and the Greek ships set off in search of Troy.

The War

The first nine years of the war consisted of both war in Troy and war against the neighboring regions. The Greeks realized that Troy was being supplied by its neighboring kingdoms, so Greeks were sent to defeat these areas.

As well as destroying Trojan economy, these battles let the Greeks gather a large amount of resources and other spoils of war, including women (e.g., Briseis, Tecmessa and Chryseis).

The Greeks won many important battles and the Trojan hero Hector fell, as did the Trojan ally Penthesilea. However, the Greeks could not break down the walls of Troy.

Patroclus was killed and, soonafter, Achilles was felled by Paris.

Helenus, son of Priam, had been captured by Odysseus. A prophet, Helenus told the Greeks that Troy would not fall unless:

a) Pyrrhus, Achilles' son, fought in the war,
b) The bow and arrows of Hercules were used by the Greeks against the Trojans,
c) The remains of Pelops, the famous Eleian hero, were brought to Troy, and
d) The Palladium, a statue of Athena, was stolen from Troy (Tripp, 587).

Phoenix persuaded Pyrrhus to join the war. Philoctetes had the bow and arrows of Hercules, but had been left by the Greek fleet in Lemnos because he had been bitten by a snake and his wound had a horrendous smell. Philoctetes was bitter, but was finally persuaded to join the Greeks. The remains of Pelops were gotten, and Odysseus infiltrated Trojan defenses and stole the Palladium.

The Trojan Horse

Still seeking to gain entrance into Troy, clever Odysseus (some say with the aid of Athena) ordered a large wooden horse to be built. Its insides were to be hollow so that soldiers could hide within it.

Once the statue had been built by the artist Epeius, a number of the Greek warriors, along with Odysseus, climbed inside. The rest of the Greek fleet sailed away, so as to deceive the Trojans.

One man, Sinon, was left behind. When the Trojans came to marvel at the huge creation, Sinon pretended to be angry with the Greeks, stating that they had deserted him. He assured the Trojans that the wooden horse was safe and would bring luck to the Trojans.

Only two people, Laocoon and Cassandra, spoke out against the horse, but they were ignored. The Trojans celebrated what they thought was their victory, and dragged the wooden horse into Troy.

That night, after most of Troy was asleep or in a drunken stupor, Sinon let the Greek warriors out from the horse, and they slaughtered the Trojans. Priam was killed as he huddled by Zeus' altar and Cassandra was pulled from the statue of Athena and raped.

After the War

After the war, Polyxena, daughter of Priam, was sacrificed at the tomb of Achilles and Astyanax, son of Hector, was also sacrificed, signifying the end of the war.

Aeneas, a Trojan prince, managed to escape the destruction of Troy, and Virgil's Aeneid tells of his flight from Troy. Many sources say that Aeneas was the only Trojan prince to survive, but this statement contradicts the common story that Andromache was married to Helenus, twin of Cassandra, after the war.

Menelaus, who had been determined to kill his faithless wife, was soon taken by Helen's beauty and seductiveness that he allowed her to live.

The surviving Trojan women were divided among the Greek men along with the other plunder. The Greeks then set sail for home, which, for some, proved as difficult and took as much time as the Trojan War itself (e.g., Odysseus and Menelaus).

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