Troy (Ilion) is the famous ancient fortress city, which was glorified by Homer in his Iliad and Odyssey. Where was Troy located and why is it famous? What legends are associated with it? You will learn about everything from this article.
Background of Troy
Before the emergence of Troy, there was an ancient Neolithic settlement of Kumtepe in its place; it was founded approximately 4.8 millennium BC. Kumtepe was mainly inhabited by fishermen who not only caught fish, but also traded it.
After existing for several centuries, the settlement was abandoned. But later, around 3.7 millennium BC, it was revived by new colonists who were engaged in animal husbandry and agriculture.
History of Troy
The city or state of Troy throughout the history of its existence occupied an advantageous political and economic position: fertile land, the presence of two rivers: Simois and Scamander, access to the Aegean Sea, etc.
That is why for many centuries in a row ancient Troy was the most important trading center between the West and the East, and was repeatedly subjected to raids by various tribes, looting and arson.
So, Troy was built off the coast of the Aegean Sea in Asia Minor. Today the territory where Troy was located belongs to Turkey. The people who lived in Troy in those distant times are called Teucrians by historians.
The city flourished during the famous Mycenaean civilization. In addition to Homer's epic of Troy, it is mentioned in ancient cuneiform tablets of Taruisha, ancient Egyptian papyri from the time of Ramses III, in Mycenaean texts, etc.
Historians have not come to a consensus about the origins of the Trojans. They also still argue whether Troy is the name of the state or its capital. The information that has reached us from the depths of time is clearly not enough.
The legend of the founding of Troy
In accordance with ancient Greek mythology, Troy was founded by a certain young man Il. The Phrygian king generously rewarded him for winning the competition, gave him 100 slaves and a cow in addition, and ordered him to found a city where the cow wanted to rest.
The cow decided to lie down on Ata Hill. It was on this hill that the beginning of the legendary Troy or Ilion was laid. Zeus blessed the foundation of the city, promised to protect it and sent Ilu a wooden image of Athena.
According to legend, some ancient Greek gods personally participated in the construction of the walls of Ancient Troy. Apollo and Poseidon served the king of Troy and built a powerful wall of large stone blocks around the city.
For a long time, European scientists argued about where Troy was located. At the beginning of the 19th century, the English historian MacLaren suggested that the ancient city was located under the Hissarlik hill.
Already at the end of the 19th century, the German archaeologist Schliemann began active excavations in this place. It was he who became the man who discovered the ancient city of Troy for his contemporaries.
Today, Schliemann's archaeological finds are kept in the Pushkin Museum, the Hermitage and other museums around the world. Excavations continue at the site of Hisarlik Hill; the ruins of nine ancient fortresses from different eras have already been exposed.
Layers of the ancient city of Troy
As a result of archaeological excavations, several ancient cities were discovered, each of which was named Troy. In total, archaeologists count nine layers of ancient Troy, not counting the Neolithic settlement.
1. Troy I (3rd millennium BC)
It was a small fortress-like settlement with simple clay walls and houses. Most likely it died in a fire. Ceramic items similar to those found in Bulgaria were discovered.
2. Troy II (2.5 millennium BC)
This rich settlement was discovered by Schliemann himself. Among other things, the German archaeologist found the famous treasure of Priam with many weapons, precious jewelry, gold utensils, etc.
3. Troy III-IV-V-VI (2.3 – 1.3 millennium BC)
These layers tell about the decline of Troy, the earthquake that befell it, and later the gradual restoration and growth of the ancient city, turning it into the capital of a strong state.
4. Troy VII (1.3 – 0.9 millennium BC)
It was during these times that the famous Trojan War took place, which glorified this ancient city for centuries. Homer spoke about this war in his Iliad and Odyssey. As a result, fallen Troy was captured by the Phrygians.
5. Troy VIII-IX (900 – 350 BC)
At this time, the history of Troy and Ancient Greece is closely connected. Greeks live in the city, the famous Greek king Xerxes visits it, Troy becomes a fairly large center of Hellenic culture.
6. Troy X (300 BC – 500 AD)
Later, the Persians captured Troy, and then the city came under the rule of Alexander the Great. During the period of the Roman Empire, Troy slowly began to revive, was freed from taxes and significantly expanded.
However, in the 5th century AD. Troy was captured and finally destroyed by the Turks who came to Asia Minor. In the 6th century, the last settlements of people who lived on the site of the once legendary Troy disappeared forever.
Language and writing of Troy
Some scholars are inclined to believe that the Trojans spoke a language close to Phrygian, others believe that they were of Luwian origin and spoke the Luwian language. All assumptions are based on ancient Greek legends.
Troy is the setting for the legendary Trojan War, which is reflected in ancient Greek oral and literary traditions.
Historians are still debating the existence of Troy. Most are inclined to believe that Troy really existed, as this is confirmed by archaeological finds found on the site: some of them fit the description of Troy by Homer in the Iliad.
Troy is also called Hisarlika (Turkish name), Ilios or Ilia, as well as Ilium (as Homer called the city).
Mythological Troy
Troy is the main setting in Homer's Iliad; Let us recall that the work is dedicated to the last year of the Trojan War, which occurred in the 13th century BC. The war lasted 10 years: King Agamemnon of Mycenae, together with his allies, Greek troops, literally besieged the city. The purpose of the capture was to return Helen the Beautiful, wife of Menelaus, king of Argos and brother of Agamemnon.
The girl was kidnapped by the Trojan prince Paris, because at a beauty contest she was awarded the mercy of herself, who recognized Helen as the most beautiful woman living on earth.
Mentions of the Trojan War are also found in other literary sources: for example, in poems by several authors, as well as in Homer's Odyssey. Troy and later became one of the most popular stories in mythology and classical literature.
Homer describes Troy as a city surrounded by a strong, invincible wall. The Iliad also contains references to the fact that the city was fortified with high and steep walls with battlements at the ends.
The walls must have been unusually strong, since Troy was able to withstand a 10-year siege by the Greeks. The city could have been saved if the cunning Greeks had not come up with a horse move - and in the literal sense: the Danaans built a huge horse, which they seemed to give as a gift to the Trojans, but in fact the soldiers hid in it, and later were able to break into the city, defeating enemy forces.
It was known from Greek myths that the walls of Troy were so impressive that people believed that they were built by Poseidon and Apollo.
Archaeological finds of Troy
Existing from the Early Bronze Age (3000 BC) to the 12th century AD. the city, which is commonly called Troy, is located 5 km from the coast, but once it was located next to the sea.
The territory of Troy was limited by the bay created by the mouth of the Scamanda River, and the city occupied a strategically important position between the Aegean and Eastern civilizations, and also controlled access to the Black Sea, Anatolia and the Balkans - both on land and at sea.
The remains of the city of Troy were first discovered by Frank Calvert in 1863 AD, then the study of archaeological artifacts was continued by Heinrich Schliemann in 1870.
The scientist studied Troy for 20 years, until his death in 1890. Thus, Schliemann managed to discover an artificial hill 20 m high, which had remained untouched since antiquity. Schliemann's finds contained jewelry and vessels made of gold and silver, which were described as similar to those described by Homer in the Iliad.
However, all the artifacts were dated earlier and probably belonged to the period of Greek life before the Trojan War.
Excavations continued throughout the 20th century AD. and continue to this day.
According to the latest data, nine different cities could be located on the territory of the supposed city of Troy. Scientists have created a special classification, designating these cities with Roman numerals: from Troy I to Troy IX.
The history of Troy, according to historians, began with a small village. Then large buildings and fortification walls made of stone and brick appeared in it, later steep walls 8 meters high and 5 meters thick appeared (apparently, Homer mentioned them in the Iliad), the city occupied an area of 270,000 square meters.
The further fate of Troy is connected with fires and some major destruction - this is confirmed by archaeological finds.
The centuries-old existence of Troy influenced the development of arts and various crafts in neighboring cities: archaeologists often find replicas of jewelry, ceramics and military accessories created by craftsmen from other cities in the image and likeness of those that the Trojans once created.
More is known about this city of the ancient civilization of the Greeks from the legends of Homer. He mentions this polis in his Illiad. However, archaeological excavations confirm the existence of a once powerful city-state on the territory of Greece. However, some sources refute these claims. It is officially known that Troy (Ilion) was a small settlement on the territory of Asia Minor. It is located on the coast of the Aegean Sea, on the Troas Peninsula. It was just a stone's throw from the Dardanelles Strait. Nowadays it is the Turkish province of Canakkale.
How did Troy begin?
Historians have thoroughly studied the descriptions and life of this city by Homer, and have concluded that Troy existed in the Creto-Mycenaean era. The people who inhabited the polis were called “Tevkrs”. Comparing the data given by Homer with other sources, scientists came to the conclusion that the Trojans bravely fought against any conquerors and went on campaigns themselves. Troy is mentioned in Egyptian chronicles. Allegedly, certain tereshes came to the country of the pyramids to enslave the most prosperous territories. But some historians are not sure that they were Trojans.
Historians also argue about the name. It is believed that the state was called Troy, and its capital was Ilion. But there are opinions of scientists that everything was the other way around. It is known that Homer wrote the “Iliad”; decades later, many sources testifying about Troy could have been lost, and people who knew something about Troy had passed on to another world. Therefore, the data given by Homer has been disputed for a long time. Since the same plot is described differently in the Illiad and other sources.
Historians also find connections between the Trojans and mythical stories and heroes. Featured here:
- Aphrodite.
- Hera.
- Athena.
- Zeus.
- Odysseus.
- Paris.
Everyone knows the myths about Troy and its fall. But the reasons for this decline are not known for certain, whether there was a Trojan horse, or whether there was a war. According to legend, it was to Troy that Paris and Helen came with significant wealth. Her husband organized the chase, gathering a significant army. It is believed that this conflict was the start of the Trojan War.
Significant battles
Skirmishes continued for a decade, and Troy was never taken during this period. The Greeks brought the best ships under its walls, using advanced weapons. Many great commanders died during a series of brutal battles. But the walls of the city remained impregnable.
It is known that Odysseus took part in the skirmishes. The idea to build a huge wooden horse belonged to him. The warriors, along with their leader Odysseus, hid inside the horse. At this time, the naval commanders withdrew the ships from Troy, which could indicate a retreat. This is exactly what the Trojans thought when they saw the ships sailing far out to sea.
The Trojans rode their horses beyond the once impregnable gates and went to celebrate their victory. The Greeks waited until night fell, got out of their shelter and opened the gates to the rest of Odysseus’s army. The soldiers who entered the city killed most of the Trojans and began to celebrate the victory. The deceived husband Menelaus was going to put Helen to death, but again fell under her spell and had mercy.
Romans and Greeks - about Troy
Not only Homer spoke in his works about the legendary city and its inhabitants. The Romans spoke in no less detail about Troy. Virgil and Ovid especially succeeded in this.
Scientists of Ancient Greece were fully confident that the Trojan War was not a myth, it took place. Herodotus and Thucydides said that there is historical evidence of the war with Troy. They said that Troy was quite majestic. She stood on a small hill. Below is the Dardanelle Strait. Troy was known not only as a militant city, but also as an important strategic site in terms of trade and crafts. After all, the most important trade routes passed past it along the strait connecting the Aegean and Black Seas. Ships arrived here from different countries, including very rich ones. 
The area where Troy was located was called “Troada”. Historians have studied these territories for many years. Now they belong to Turkey. Heinrich Schliemann, a popular businessman from Germany, was the first to show the world the place where Troy was located a long time ago. It is known that Henry studied the Illiad very thoroughly, which allowed him to claim a place located near the Dardanelles Strait. In ancient times the hill was called Hisarlik. It was on it that Troy rose.
Excavations began at the end of the 19th century. They lasted for 20 years. During this period, the researcher discovered the remains of not one, but several once populated areas. All of them existed before the late Roman period. Believing that Troy existed much earlier than these times and even before the 3rd millennium BC, Schliemann dug deeper. At the same time, he destroyed a lot of important historical monuments without even knowing it.
Many gold objects fell into Schliemann's hands. He called them the "Treasures of Priam." At the same time, he told everyone that it was here that Troy was located in Antiquity. Not the entire scientific world took this at face value. Researchers claimed that the place on Mount Hisarlik was first found not by Schliemann, but by the British Frank Calvert. This archaeologist allegedly carried out excavations before Schliemann and even helped the German at the initial stage. Calvert was also sure that Troy was located near the Dardanelles.
However, Schliemann, having gained worldwide fame thanks to 20 years of excavations, claimed that Calvert never helped him. Now Calvert’s descendants, living in America and England, are fighting for part of the treasures found by Schliemann. And some researchers claim that Schliemann himself brought gold jewelry and utensils to Mount Hisarlik to pass them off as treasures of Troy.
Modern scientists hastened to reassure Schliemann in his guesses, saying that the city he found existed about 1000 years before Troy and the events associated with the war. Schliemann's excavations can be dated back at times to 2000 BC. 
It is worth believing that Schliemann brought very useful discoveries to the world. Despite the fact that he did not open Troy, and completely destroyed priceless sources of cultural heritage, he attracted the world's attention to Hisarlik Hill. After Schliemann lost interest in the excavations, other researchers came to Mount Hisarlik. Among them: Karl Blegen, Wilhelm Derpfeld, scientists from different universities around the world. Excavations continued into the 20th century.
The result of these studies was the statement that at least 9 settlements existed in this place in different years and centuries. The first of them were here in the Bronze Age (3rd millennium BC). Life in Troy dates back to the 3rd century. BC. The one that was described by Homer was designated by archaeologists as “Troy-8.” It existed in 1100. BC. Finds dating back to this period indicate the violence of the fire element in the settlement. This means there was a war here, the scientists concluded.
In Troy, not only military affairs developed, but also crafts. Pottery handicrafts have been found. But perhaps they were not produced here, but were imported and purchased from traders. The bronze arrowheads seemed to have been forged right in the fortress.
“Troy-8” is considered the most developed and largest city, in comparison with other settlements that were located on the hill. There is a lot of evidence that there was a troop on Hisarlik and it remained in the ground. The hypothesis about the destruction of the city during the war was confirmed.
And how do contemporaries imagine that same Trojan Horse? This is not at all a sculpture of an animal carved from wood, as they depict in books about the legends of Ancient Greece for children. This horse looked more like a battering ram, similar to a horse. British archaeologists testify to this.
The Trojan horse is a prototype of an earthquake in mythology, says another legend. But during excavations, scientists did not find any traces of the violence of the forces of nature, so they are inclined to believe in the version of military operations in Troy. Turkish sources also speak about this. Now Troy is the territory of Turkey. Scientists of this country have found written sources about the proto-Greek tribes living in the areas of the Dardanelles Strait. It is said about the people and state of Ahiyava, which also happened in Homer.
Troy is undoubtedly a once-real state or city in which the tribes that once inhabited Greece lived. A huge number of scientists have spent years of their work trying to find out exactly where Troy was located, whether there was a Trojan War, and what the Trojan Horse looked like. Historians compared archaeological evidence with the stories of Homer, who embodied them in the Illiad. So the modern world is almost 100% sure that Troy was located on the territory of Hisarlik Hill, near the Dardanelles Strait.
And he is on his way to shining Athens (part 4)
In the morning it turns out that the National Archaeological Museum is open from midday on Mondays. Therefore, I decide to go to Piraeus, which has long become just a district of Athens. From the city center you can take the metro there for 0.7 euros and more and more over the surface. In Piraeus, the metro station looks like an ordinary suburban train station (half of Finland). Leaving the station, guided by the Sun, I arrive at the port. Fishermen with fishing rods sit on the piers. A policeman leans out waist-deep from a passing jeep and says that you can’t film in the port for security reasons. “Okay,” I say and, having removed the pentaprism, I put the camera on the case on my stomach, which allows me to take photographs without anyone noticing. At one of the piers there is something like our river bus, adjusted for sailing on the sea.
Greece or Hellas. Greeks or Hellenes
Medieval island of Rhodes
The island of Rhodes is one of the largest and most visited by tourists in Greece, since in Rhodes everyone can find a holiday to suit their taste: comfortable beaches and excellent hotels (mainly class A and De Luxe), interesting sights and rich museums, leisurely walks through the ancient the cities of the island with their narrow streets, ancient temples, taverns with delicious Greek cuisine and colorful souvenir shops.
Delphi and Sanctuary of Apollo
Delphi is located on the Greek mainland, in the region of Phocis, which does not coincide in borders with ancient Phocis. This is a mountainous area covering the Parnassus ridge and the western spurs of the Helicon mountain range. The city of Delphi and the sanctuary are built on the southern slope of Parnassus at an altitude of 500 m-700 meters, in one of the most charming places in Greece, a place striking in its extraordinary beauty and picturesque natural colors.
Beaches of Greece
The coastline of Greece covers almost 16 thousand kilometers. The mainland and island are surrounded by countless beautiful beaches, coves and bays. Greek beaches are world famous and extremely popular. Tourists have the opportunity to enjoy pebble beaches, golden stretches of sand with dunes, coastal caves, steep cliffs and dark sand.
Countless civilizations and great states have disappeared forever. One of the clear examples of this is the city of Troy, also known as Ilion. It has long excited the minds of historians and archaeologists. There is a curious history of its appearance, existence and fall.
Date of formation and location of the city
The history of the famous city begins from 3000 BC. It was located on the Troad Peninsula in Asia Minor. Now this area belongs to Turkey. The people living in this area were called Teucrians.
In the square where Troy was located, the Scamander and Simois rivers flowed on both sides. There was an unhindered route to the Aegean Sea.
Consequently, Troy during its existence was famous for its advantageous geographical position not only in the economic field, but also in terms of defense when attacked by enemies. For many centuries, ancient Troy was a significant trading center between East and West, and was constantly subject to raids, arson and looting.
What is the city of Troy famous for?
The state is primarily known to the world for the Trojan War. According to Homer's Iliad, the ruler of Troy, King Priam, fought with the Greeks. The reason was the kidnapping of Elena. She was the wife of Menelaus, who was the ruler of Sparta. As it turned out, she ran away with Paris, who was the prince of Troy. The latter did not agree to return Elena, which became the reason for starting a war that lasted 10 long years.
Another poem by Homer, “The Odyssey,” tells about the destruction of the city. The war broke out between the Trojans and the Achaean tribes (ancient Greeks), the latter won the battle thanks to military cunning. The Greeks built an impressive wooden horse and brought it to the gates of Troy, after which they left.
Residents of the city allowed the statue to be brought inside the walls, after which the soldiers hiding inside it captured Troy.
The final fall of Troy
From 350 BC and until 900 the city was ruled by the Greeks. Subsequently, its rulers constantly replaced each other. First, the Persians captured the city, later it became the property of Alexander the Great. Only the Roman Empire, which captured Troy, revived the city again.
In 400 BC. Troy fell into the hands of the Turks, who finally destroyed it. The remaining human settlements in the place where the great city previously existed disappeared in the 6th century AD.
What is now on the site of Troy?
Modern Troy is not at all similar to the place that was described by Homer. Over time, the coastline gradually moved, so the city was discovered on a completely dry hill.
People from all over the world constantly come to the city-museum. The ruins have an excellent appearance. Of particular interest at the site where Troy once stood is a copy of that same wooden statue of a horse. Anyone can enter inside, trying on the role of a Greek warrior.
There is a museum on the excavation site where you can study photographs, samples and things that allow you to thoroughly familiarize yourself with the excavation stage of Troy. Tourists can go to the Temple of Pallas Athena, stroll inside the sanctuary of the gods and through the Odeon concert hall.
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Troy (Turkish Truva), second name Ilion, is an ancient city in the north-west of Asia Minor, off the coast of the Aegean Sea. It was known thanks to the ancient Greek epics and was discovered in the 1870s. during G. Schliemann's excavations of the Hissarlik hill. The city gained particular fame thanks to the myths about the Trojan War and the events described in Homer’s poem “The Iliad,” according to which the 10-year war of the coalition of Achaean kings led by Agamemnon, the king of Mycenae, against Troy ended with the fall of the fortress city. The people who inhabited Troy are called Teucrians in ancient Greek sources.
Troy is a mythical city. For many centuries, the reality of Troy's existence was questioned - it existed like a city from legend. But there have always been people looking for a reflection of real history in the events of the Iliad. However, serious attempts to search for the ancient city were made only in the 19th century. In 1870, Heinrich Schliemann, while excavating the mountain village of Gissrlik on the Turkish coast, came across the ruins of an ancient city. Continuing excavations to a depth of 15 meters, he unearthed treasures that belonged to an ancient and highly developed civilization. These were the ruins of Homer's famous Troy. It is worth noting that Schliemann excavated a city that was built earlier (1000 years before the Trojan War); further research showed that he simply walked right through Troy, since it was built on the ruins of the ancient city he found.
Troy and Atlantis are one and the same. In 1992, Eberhard Zangger suggested that Troy and Atlantis are the same city. He based his theory on the similarity of the descriptions of cities in ancient legends. However, this assumption did not have a widespread and scientific basis. This hypothesis did not receive widespread support.
The Trojan War broke out because of a woman. According to Greek legend, the Trojan War broke out because one of the 50 sons of King Priam, Paris, kidnapped the beautiful Helen, the wife of the Spartan king Menelaus. The Greeks sent troops precisely to take Helen away. However, according to some historians, this is most likely only the peak of the conflict, that is, the last straw that gave rise to the war. Before this, there were supposedly many trade wars between the Greeks and the Trojans, who controlled trade along the entire coast of the Dardanelles.
Troy survived for 10 years thanks to outside help. According to available sources, Agamemnon's army camped in front of the city on the seashore, without besieging the fortress from all sides. King Priam of Troy took advantage of this, establishing close ties with Caria, Lydia and other regions of Asia Minor, which provided him with assistance during the war. As a result, the war turned out to be very protracted.
The Trojan horse actually existed. This is one of the few episodes of that war that has never found its archaeological and historical confirmation. Moreover, there is not a word about the horse in the Iliad, but Homer describes it in detail in his Odyssey. And all the events associated with the Trojan horse and their details were described by the Roman poet Virgil in the Aeneid, 1st century. BC, i.e. almost 1200 years later. Some historians suggest that the Trojan horse meant some kind of weapon, for example, a ram. Others claim that Homer called Greek sea vessels this way. It is possible that there was no horse at all, and Homer used it in his poem as a symbol of the death of the gullible Trojans.
The Trojan horse got into the city thanks to a cunning trick by the Greeks. According to legend, the Greeks spread a rumor that there was a prophecy that if a wooden horse stood within the walls of Troy, it could forever defend the city from Greek raids. Most of the city's residents were inclined to believe that the horse should be brought into the city. However, there were also opponents. The priest Laocoon suggested burning the horse or throwing it off a cliff. He even threw a spear at the horse, and everyone heard that the horse was empty inside. Soon a Greek named Sinon was captured and told Priam that the Greeks had built a horse in honor of the goddess Athena to atone for many years of bloodshed. Tragic events followed: during a sacrifice to the god of the sea Poseidon, two huge snakes swam out of the water and strangled the priest and his sons. Seeing this as an omen from above, the Trojans decided to roll the horse into the city. He was so huge that he couldn’t fit through the gate and part of the wall had to be dismantled.
The Trojan Horse caused the fall of Troy. According to legend, on the night after the horse entered the city, Sinon released the warriors hiding inside from its belly, who quickly killed the guards and opened the city gates. The city, which had fallen asleep after the riotous festivities, did not even offer strong resistance. Several Trojan soldiers led by Aeneas tried to save the palace and the king. According to ancient Greek myths, the palace fell thanks to the giant Neoptolemus, son of Achilles, who smashed the front door with his ax and killed King Priam.
Heinrich Schliemann, who found Troy and amassed a huge fortune during his life, was born into a poor family. He was born in 1822 into the family of a rural pastor. His homeland is a small German village near the Polish border. His mother died when he was 9 years old. My father was a harsh, unpredictable and self-centered man who loved women very much (for which he lost his position). At the age of 14, Heinrich was separated from his first love, the girl Minna. When Heinrich was 25 years old and already becoming a famous businessman, he finally asked Minna's hand in marriage from her father in a letter. The answer said that Minna married a farmer. This message completely broke his heart. A passion for Ancient Greece appeared in the boy’s soul thanks to his father, who read the Iliad to the children in the evenings, and then gave his son a book on world history with illustrations. In 1840, after a long and grueling job in a grocery store that almost cost him his life, Henry boarded a ship bound for Venezuela. On December 12, 1841, the ship was caught in a storm and Schliemann was thrown into the icy sea; he was saved from death by a barrel, which he held on to until he was rescued. During his life, he learned 17 languages and made a large fortune. However, the peak of his career was the excavations of the great Troy.
Heinrich Schliemann undertook the excavations of Troy due to unsettled personal life. This is not excluded. In 1852, Heinrich Schliemann, who had many affairs in St. Petersburg, married Ekaterina Lyzhina. This marriage lasted 17 years and turned out to be completely empty for him. Being a passionate man by nature, he married a sensible woman who was cold towards him. As a result, he almost found himself on the verge of madness. The unhappy couple had three children, but this did not bring happiness to Schliemann. Out of desperation, he made another fortune by selling indigo dye. In addition, he took up the Greek language closely. An inexorable thirst for travel appeared in him. In 1668, he decided to go to Ithaca and organize his first expedition. Then he went towards Constantinople, to the places where Troy was located according to the Iliad and began excavations on the Hissarlik hill. This was his first step on the path to the great Troy.
Schliemann tried on jewelry from Helen of Troy for his second wife. Heinrich was introduced to his second wife by his old friend, 17-year-old Greek Sofia Engastromenos. According to some sources, when Schliemann found the famous treasures of Troy (10,000 gold objects) in 1873, he moved them upstairs with the help of his second wife, whom he loved immensely. Among them were two luxurious tiaras. Having placed one of them on Sophia’s head, Henry said: “The jewel that Helen of Troy wore now adorns my wife.” One of the photographs actually shows her wearing magnificent antique jewelry.
The Trojan treasures were lost. There is a deal of truth in it. The Schliemanns donated 12,000 objects to the Berlin Museum. During World War II, this priceless treasure was moved to a bunker from which it disappeared in 1945. Part of the treasury unexpectedly appeared in 1993 in Moscow. There is still no answer to the question: “Was it really the gold of Troy?”
During excavations at Hisarlik, several layers of cities from different times were discovered. Archaeologists have identified 9 layers that belong to different years. Everyone calls them Troy.
Only two towers have survived from Troy I. Troy II was explored by Schliemann, considering it the true Troy of King Priam. Troy VI was the high point of the city's development, its inhabitants trading profitably with the Greeks, but the city appears to have been badly destroyed by an earthquake. Modern scientists believe that the found Troy VII is the true city of Homer's Iliad. According to historians, the city fell in 1184 BC, being burned by the Greeks. Troy VIII was restored by Greek colonists, who also built the temple of Athena here. Troy IX already belongs to the Roman Empire. I would like to note that excavations have shown that Homeric descriptions very accurately describe the city.
Popular myths.
Popular facts.
Troy, Türkiye: description, photo, where it is on the map, how to get there
Troy- an ancient settlement in Turkey off the coast of the Aegean Sea. This landmark was sung by Homer in his Iliad. The Trojan War brought Troy its greatest fame. This ancient Greek city is included in the 1000 best places in the world according to our website.
Many tourists are interested in this archaeological site of modern Turkey. In order to get to Troy, you must first get to Canakalle. From there, buses leave hourly for Troy. The journey will take about half an hour. In turn, you can come to Canakalle by bus from Izmir or Istanbul. In both cases, the distance is about 320 km.
The German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann was the first to become interested in the excavations of Troy in the second half of the 19th century. It was under his leadership that the ruins of nine cities around the Hissarlik hill were found. Moreover, many ancient artifacts and one very ancient fortress were found. Schliemann's many years of work were continued by one of his colleagues, who excavated a vast area dating back to the Mycenaean era.
Excavations are still ongoing at this site.
Today there is little to attract the traveler's eye in Troy. However, the atmosphere of the world's greatest fairy tale invariably hovers in this city. At the moment, the restoration of the famous Trojan Horse has been completely completed. This attraction is located on a panoramic platform.
Photo attraction: Troy
Troy on the map:
Where is Troy? - monument on the map
Troy is located in modern Turkey, on the eastern coast of the Aegean Sea, southwest of Istanbul. In ancient times, Troy was apparently a powerful fortified city, whose inhabitants were most famous for allowing into their city a wooden horse left behind by the Greeks. According to legend, Greek soldiers were hiding inside the souvenir, who killed the Trojan guards and opened the city gates for the Greek army.
Coordinates:
39.9573326
northern latitude
26.2387447
east longitude
Troy on the interactive map, which can be controlled:
Troy is in the lists: cities, monuments
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Troy
Troy is an ancient Greek city on the western tip of Asia Minor. In the 8th century BC, Homer spoke about it in his poems. It was a blind wandering singer. He sang about the Trojan War, which took place in the 13th century BC. e. That is, this event occurred 500 years before Homer.
For a long time it was believed that both Troy and the Trojan War were invented by the singer. It is still not even known whether the ancient poet actually existed or whether he was a collective image. Therefore, many historians were skeptical about the events sung in the Iliad.
Troy on the map of Turkey, indicated by a blue circle
In 1865, the English archaeologist Frank Calvert began excavations on the Hisarlik hill, located 7 km from the Dardanelles Strait. In 1868, German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann also began excavations at the other end of the same hill, after a chance meeting with Calvert in Canakkale.
The German was lucky. He excavated several fortified cities that were built in different eras. To date, 9 main settlements have been excavated, located one above the other. They were built in a time period that spans 3.5 thousand years.
Model of the city of Troy on the eve of the Trojan War
The excavations are located in northwestern Anatolia at the southwestern end of the Dardanelles Strait (in ancient times the Hellespont) northwest of Mount Ida. It is about 30 km southwest of the city of Canakkale (the capital of the province of the same name).
Not far from the ruins is a small village that supports the tourism industry. This site was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1998.. It should be noted that during the Roman Empire Troy was called Ilion. The city flourished until it was eclipsed by Constantinople. During the Byzantine era it fell into decay.
The famous Trojan horse. Hiding in such a horse,
the treacherous Achaeans entered the city
Main archaeological layers of Troy
1 layer- a settlement dating back to the Neolithic period. This is the 7th-5th centuries BC. e.
2 layer- covers the period 3-2.6 thousand years BC. e. It is from this settlement that Troy begins. It had a diameter of no more than 150 meters. The houses were built from clay bricks. All houses were destroyed by fire.
3 layer- covers the period 2.6-2.25 thousand years BC. e. More developed settlement. Precious jewelry, gold vessels, weapons, and gravestones were found on its territory. All this pointed to a highly developed culture. The settlement was destroyed as a result of a natural disaster.
4 and 5 layers- covers the period 2.25-1.95 thousand years BC. e. Characterized by the decline of culture and material wealth.
6 layer- 1.95-1.3 thousand years BC e. The city grew in size and wealth. It was destroyed around 1250 BC. e. strong earthquake. However, it was quickly restored.
7 layer- 1.3-1.2 thousand years BC e. This particular archaeological layer dates back to the period of the Trojan War. The area of the city at that time occupied 200 thousand square meters. meters. At the same time, the area of the fortress was 23 thousand square meters. meters. The urban population reached 10 thousand people. The city fortress was a powerful wall with towers. Their height reached 9 meters. The siege and destruction of the city occurs approximately in 1184 BC. e.
8 layer- 1.2-0.9 thousand years BC e. The settlement was captured by wild tribes. No cultural development was observed during this period.
9 layer- 900-350 BC e. Troy turned into the ancient Greek city-state - polis. This had a beneficial effect on the culture and well-being of citizens. The period is characterized by good relations with the Achaemenid power. Persian king Xerxes in 480 BC. e. visited the city and sacrificed 1000 bulls to the sanctuary of Athena.
10 layer- 350 BC e. - 400 AD e. characterized by the era of Hellenistic states and Roman rule. In 85 BC. e. Ilium was destroyed by the Roman general Fimbria.
Sulla then helped rebuild the settlement.
In 20 AD e. Emperor Augustus visited Troy and allocated money for the restoration of the sanctuary of Athena. The city flourished for a long time, but then, as already mentioned, fell into decline, thanks to the heyday of Constantinople.
Archaeological excavations
After Schliemann, excavations were carried out by Wilhelm Dörpfeld in 1893-1894, and then in 1932-1938 by Karl Blegen. These excavations showed that there were 9 cities, built one on top of the other. At the same time, 9 levels were divided into 46 sublevels.
Archaeological excavations resumed in 1988 under the leadership of professors Manfred Korfmann and Brian Rose. During this period, the ruins of late Greek and Roman cities were discovered. In 2006, Ernst Pernik led the excavations.
In March 2014, it was announced that further research would be sponsored by a private Turkish company, and the work would be led by Associate Professor Rustem Aslan. It was stated that Troy would boost tourism in Canakkale and perhaps become one of Turkey's most visited historical sites.
