The city of Troy, located in modern-day Turkey, has a rich and legendary history dating back to the late Bronze Age.
The most famous account of Troy’s history comes from Homer’s epic poem, the Iliad, which tells the story of the Trojan War.
According to legend, Troy was founded by King Ilios, who named the city after himself.
The city became a powerful and prosperous kingdom, ruled by King Priam and his wife, Hecuba.
However, the city’s fortunes changed when Paris, a prince of Troy, was asked to judge a beauty contest between the goddesses Athena, Aphrodite, and Hera. Paris chose Aphrodite as the most beautiful and was awarded Helen of Sparta, the wife of King Menelaus, as a prize.
This led to the Trojan War, a ten-year conflict between the city-states of Troy and Greece, led by King Agamemnon, brother of Menelaus.
The war was fought by many famous heroes, including Achilles, Odysseus, and Ajax, who were said to have been aided by the gods.
The war ended with the infamous ruse of the Trojan Horse, a giant wooden statue of a horse that concealed a group of Greek warriors.
Under cover of night, the Greeks emerged from the horse and opened the gates of Troy, allowing their comrades to pour inside and conquer the city.
The historical existence of Troy was long debated among scholars, but in 1870, the German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann excavated a site in northwest Turkey that he believed was the site of Troy.
His discoveries, and those of subsequent archaeologists, have confirmed that a city did exist at the site around the time of the supposed Trojan War, and it is now widely accepted that the legend of Troy is based on a historical core.
Here’s a brief timeline of Troy’s history:
– 3000 BCE: The city of Troy is founded by King Ilios.
– 1200 BCE: The Trojan War takes place, according to legend.
– 1000 BCE: The city of Troy is abandoned and left in ruins.
– 700 BCE: The site of Troy is reoccupied by a new settlement.
– 300 BCE: The city of Troy is again abandoned and left in ruins.
– 1870 CE: Heinrich Schliemann excavates the site of Troy and confirms its historical existence.
Please note that the historical accuracy of the events of the Trojan War is still a matter of debate among scholars, and the legend of Troy has been embellished and modified over time through literature, art, and popular culture.