Trojan War

Quick Facts: Who was Trojan War?

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Trojan War

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Legendary conflict in Greek mythology concerning the siege of Troy by Achaeans.

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Origins & Early Life

The Trojan War was a legendary conflict in Greek mythology that took place around the thirteenth or early twelfth century BC. The war was waged by the Achaeans (Greeks) against the city of Troy after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband Menelaus, king of Sparta. The war is one of the most important events in Greek mythology, and it has been narrated through many works of Greek literature, most notably Homer's Iliad. The core of the Iliad (Books II – XXIII) describes a period of four days and two nights in the tenth year of the decade-long siege of Troy; the Odyssey describes the journey home of Odysseus, one of the war's heroes. Other parts of the war are described in a cycle of epic poems, which have survived through fragments.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Episodes from the war provided material for Greek tragedy and other works of Greek literature, and for Roman poets including Virgil and Ovid. The ancient Greeks believed that Troy was located near the Dardanelles and that the Trojan War was a historical event of the twelfth or thirteenth centuries BC. By the mid-nineteenth century AD, both the war and the city were widely seen as non-historical. In 1868, the German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann met Frank Calvert, who convinced Schliemann that Troy was at what is now Hisarlık in modern-day Turkey.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

On the basis of excavations conducted by Schliemann and others, this claim is now accepted by most scholars. The historicity of the Trojan War remains an open question. Many scholars believe that there is a historical core to the tale, though this may simply mean that the Homeric stories are a fusion of various tales of sieges and expeditions by Mycenaean Greeks during the Bronze Age. Those who believe that the stories of the Trojan War are derived from a specific historical conflict usually date it to the twelfth century BC or eleventh century BC, often preferring the dates given by Eratosthenes, 1194–1184 BC, which roughly correspond to archaeological evidence of a catastrophic burning of Troy VII, and the Late Bronze Age collapse.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1194: 1194 Milestone — Those who believe that the stories of the Trojan War are derived from a specific historical conflict usually date it to the twelfth century BC or eleventh century BC, often preferring the dates given by Eratosthenes, 1194–1184 BC, which roughly correspond to archaeological evidence of a catastrophic burning of Troy VII, and the Late Bronze Age collapse.
2. 1868: 1868 Milestone — In 1868, the German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann met Frank Calvert, who convinced Schliemann that Troy was at what is now Hisarlık in modern-day Turkey.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Trojan War

True or False: “Did the ancient Greeks believe the Trojan War was purely a fictional tale with no historical basis?”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The ancient Greeks believed it to be a historical event of the twelfth or thirteenth centuries BC, though modern scholarship questions this belief.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abdülmecid II — Historical peer (Born in 1868) (1868): Last Ottoman Caliph and prominent Turkish aesthete, head of the Osmanoğlu family.
• Adah Isaacs Menken — Historical peer (Died in 1868) (1868): American actress, painter, and poet known for sensational stage performances.
• Frederick II, Holy Roman Emperor — Historical peer (Born in 1194) (1194): A powerful Hohenstaufen ruler who claimed the mantle of Roman Emperors.
• Guy of Lusignan — Historical peer (Died in 1194) (1194): King of Jerusalem, whose reign was marked by political strife and the fall of the city.
• Imai Kanehira — Historical peer (Died in 1184) (1184): A samurai commander of the late Heian Period who fought during the Genpei War.
• Minamoto no Yoshinaka — Historical peer (Died in 1184) (1184): Samurai lord of the Minamoto clan, central figure in the tumultuous Genpei War.

Frequently Asked Questions about Trojan War