One fine sunny day, during my trip to Western Turkey, I crossed the famous Dardanelles on a briskly puffing car-passenger ferry and, to the enthusiastic cries of seagulls, landed in the town of Canakkale, the center of the province of the same name. Although in itself it is a rather old city with its own history, containing within itself a 15th century Ottoman fortress and some other sights of later times - they were not the main goal of my arrival on the mainland.
The place that has long interested and attracted me was just 30 km south of Canakkale. I didn’t read anything “optional” on purpose and didn’t look at modern photographs of this place, so as not to depend on other people’s opinions and make my own judgment from a tete-a-tete meeting. After all, it was the legendary Troy, which we all know from ancient Greek myths, sung by Homer in his immortal poems "Iliad" and "Odyssey"; a gray-haired city-fortress, fanned by the glorious deeds of ancient heroes and which became the scene of one of the most famous wars in world history...
Long 27 centuries and fast 27 kilometers to Troy
As mentioned above, from Canakkale to the turn to Troy - about 27 km along the excellent highway E-87. If you know how and love to hitchhike on the ground, it will not be difficult for you to quickly slip through such a small section of the road. In addition, at the exit from Çanakkale in the right direction there is a convenient stop position, a roundabout for cars and a traffic light - so most likely you will leave soon enough.
Road sign at the exit of Canakkale
So I reached the position, and a few minutes later, with a creak of brakes, a brand new Mercedes Axor stopped near me, going somewhere towards the south coast. I didn’t even have time to properly tell about myself and my journey, and 25 kilometers flew by in an instant - and now I landed at the turn towards Troy itself.
The legendary city is only 5 km away 
There were still five kilometers left to the finish line - and I already wanted to slowly get there "on my own", but before I had time to go even a kilometer, a car with two funny Turks caught up with me, on which we reached the goal in 5 minutes. It was already evening, the solar disk was slowly leaning towards the horizon; after an hour and a half, the park closed, and therefore there were almost no visitors - so I had the opportunity to stay face-to-face with History ...
They were the first
As early as 1822, the Scotsman Charles Maclaren, editor of the Encyclopædia Britannica, pointed to Hisarlik Hill as the possible location of the mythical Troy. 25 years later, an English amateur archaeologist Frank Calvert (who was serving at that time as the British Consul in Ottoman Empire), decided to test McLaren's guess in the area indicated by the topic. This became all the more possible because in 1847 Frank's brother, Frederick, acquired an 8 km² farm, the territory of which included part of the Hissarlik hill.
Along with diplomatic work, Frank Calvert spent a number of years excavating at his site on the Hissarlik Hill, where, according to his calculations, Homeric Troy should have been located. Unfortunately, no matter how much he dug, he did not manage to find anything significant to confirm his theory. Nevertheless, Calvert continued to believe that traces of Homeric Troy were very close, and after the end of the Crimean War, he shared his thoughts with a colleague who had just arrived, who, ironically, was destined to discover the very famous Troy that we know and still. Who has been so lucky?
Heinrich Schliemann. The man who turned a childhood dream into a grand opening
There were very few desperate people in the world who, already at an advanced age, could turn their lives around sharply and devote the rest of it to serving their dream. Even fewer are those who succeed in this field. Heinrich Schliemann was such a rare exception.
Even in early childhood, his father often retold various legends to his son, which is why a serious interest in history woke up in Schliemann Jr. The destruction of Pompeii during a volcanic eruption, the Trojan War and other bright events of the past excited the child's imagination. And all his subsequent turbulent life could be an excellent plot for an adventurous adventure novel.
Having started his working career at the age of 14 as a modest clerk in a grocery store in Prussia, after five years he becomes a representative of a large trading company, shows excellent language skills (in less than three years he managed to master Dutch, English, French, Italian, Portuguese - and then Russian), after which the company decides to send a young and promising employee to St. Petersburg. In January 1846, the 24-year-old Schliemann left for Russia.
It was here that Lady Luck was waiting for him, whom he managed to grab by the tail in time. The very next year, Schliemann founded his own trading company and quickly achieved commercial success. He jumped at every opportunity, trading in saltpeter, rare indigo paint, rubber, sugar and much more... Schliemann made a huge fortune selling gold sand during the famous Gold Rush in California, managed to earn millions both in the Crimean War in Russia and in Civil - in America. The ability to take advantage of such situations was in his blood.
Heinrich Schliemann: successful millionaire adventurer and amateur archaeologist
Having achieved everything and fully satisfied his commercial ambitions, Schliemann, already at a respectable age, decided to return to his childhood dream and take up travel, history and archeology without interference. To begin with, he perfectly studied the very difficult ancient Greek language, adhering to a long-established and proven method: he read aloud a lot and memorized it. Naturally, he studied original texts"Iliad" and "Odyssey". Having completed a two-year trip around the world, in July 1868, Schliemann moved to Greece and took the first steps in the archaeological field.
New archaeologist
He began excavations in Ithaca, located west of the Balkan Peninsula. Part of the events of Homer's Odyssey takes place on this island - the main character's house was located there - and Schliemann began to look for evidence of the historicity of the poem. The first archaeological experience of yesterday's businessman lasted two days. Of course, he did not find anything serious, but he managed to declare that several artifacts found in the ground are directly related to the Odyssey. This hasty conclusion would later become a well-known feature of Schliemann, as well as the starting point for criticism against him.
One of the found artifacts
Then he went to the plain mentioned in the Iliad, located in the western part of Asia Minor near the Dardanelles. Schliemann compared his discoveries with the descriptions of the Iliad and began to incline to the opinion that it was necessary to excavate the Hissarlik hill. Convincing arguments for this version for him were the very name of the place, in Turkish meaning "fortress", as well as communication with the above-mentioned Frank Calvert, who had been digging this hill for a long time before Schliemann.
World of Homer found?
Schliemann realized that the only way to prove his case was to find Troy on his own. He began planning the excavations of Hissarlik. It took more than a year to obtain permission from the Turkish government. Finally, in October 1871, Heinrich Schliemann began to implement his plan.
Excavations of Troy during the First Expedition
The search was carried out from 1871 to 1873 and, contrary to the expectations of many skeptics, was crowned with overwhelming success. Schliemann unearthed the remains of an older fortification and several cultural layers dating back to the Bronze Age under the ruins of a Greek city of the classical era. Thus was opened the Mycenaean civilization, which preceded the archaic and classical eras.
However, Schlimann's method of conducting excavations deserved the strongest censure. His desire to find Troy at all costs and his unwillingness to see everything else ultimately led to tragedy: Schliemann actually destroyed Troy as an archaeological site. He dug through the "uninteresting" - in his opinion! - layers and thoughtlessly destroyed everything "Negomerovskoe".
The new results of Schlimann's search for Troy caused a flurry of criticism from professional archaeologists. Prominent scientist Ernst Curtius, the head of another German group that worked on the territory of Olympia, spoke extremely disapprovingly of the inaccurate method of Schlimann's excavations and his desire to prove his theory at all costs and declare everything that he extracted from the earth as the remains of the Homeric world. Much of what was not related to the alleged Trojan War, former entrepreneur pragmatically ignored, and even casually destroyed something. The cultural layers were badly damaged by it, and today professionals have to restore the picture, studying what was left after Schliemann's excavations.
What can be seen today on the site of the legendary city?
I invite you to take a photo tour of Troy
Sanctuary
Troy was an important religious center in Greek and Roman times, as we know from ancient sources and from excavations.
The sanctuary in front of you may have been founded as early as the seventh century BC. These archaic ruins appear to have included altars, large sections of walls, and several buildings, possibly temples.
The outer walls of the sanctuary were almost four meters high, which suggests that this place was associated with some secret rites, for the performance of which the sacrifices made on the altars were fenced off from the uninitiated. The sanctuary was seriously damaged in the destruction of Ilion by the Roman governor Flavius Fimbrios, in 85 BC.
Pithos Garden
Such vessels served primarily as a means to preserve olive oil, wine, and bread, but were also excellent containers for transporting smaller, more expensive pottery on merchant ships. These amphorae vats were often made in human height and had very thick walls - they were usually dug into the ground and used in the household as a kind of refrigerator.
Water pipes
Even the ancient Roman author and architect Vitruvius in his book "De Architectura" argued that at that time there were three main types of plumbing systems: stone channels, lead and terracotta pipes. He considered terracotta chimneys to be the best choice because they were easier and more economical than stone canals and less unhealthy than lead chimneys. These thick terracotta chimneys found at Troy are consistent with the description of Vitruvius, as well as other similar finds from numerous archaeological sites in the Roman Empire.
Main entrance (The Ramp)
Here you can see the remains of the fortified walls of Troy II, and here, most likely, the main, Eastern gate of the citadel was located, for the entrance to which a special inclined ramp was paved from flat stones. It was here, to the left of the gate, that Schliemann found the legendary Treasure of King Priam.
The Schliemann Trench
During the first three years of excavations under the direction of Schliemann, a huge trench was dug in the center of the mound, 40 meters wide and 17 meters deep. It was conceived as a test trench, with its help Schliemann hoped to find an answer to the question at what depth was the "Priam's Citadel".
View from Hissarlik hill to the "Schliemann trench", the plain behind it and the Aegean Sea, which carries its waves 6 km away
Unfortunately, in the course of this rough operation, many of the later layers and buildings, important in the historical, architectural and archaeological terms, were partially or completely destroyed by him. The deplorable result is in front of your eyes. :(
East wall
You are now looking at the remains of an outer wall and fortifications from the Troy VIII - IX period (3rd century BC - c. 500 AD)
Beyond the wall lay the Lower City, which we know as the Greek and Roman Ilion. Further to the north is the Dardanelles, to the west - a plain and the river of the same name under the ancient name Scamander.
Theater Odeon (Odeion)
And now you are in front of the ancient Roman theater (Odeion), which, among other things, was intended for the presentation of musical performances. Behind it are the ruins of partially excavated thermae (baths), which were also built during the Roman Empire.
The Odeon, the baths, and the nearby Bouleuterion (city council building) were located on the edge of the agora, the marketplace where Troy's social life was concentrated. The Odeon has a semi-circular stage, with a special recess in which stood a life-size statue of Emperor Hadrian (117-138 AD).
Trojan horse
At the entrance to the open-air museum in the 90s, a model of the famous Trojan horse was installed, with the help of which the cunning Odysseus came up with the help of which to get inside Troy, and built it by one of the most famous Achaean warriors, Epei. According to various sources, from 30 to 50 of the bravest Greek warriors hid inside it, led by Menelaus, Odysseus, Diomedes and Neoptolemus.
Shot from the movie "Troy" - joyful Trojans celebrate their imaginary victory over the Greeks. They don't know what's in store for them the next night...
Numerous tourist children (and adults too) are happy to climb into this modern humpbacked horse :), who come daily on excursions from Istanbul, Izmir and the rest of the world. Apparently, they are very flattered at least for a few minutes to feel like ancient heroes and thus touch the gray-haired antiquity. A similar horse (which took part in the filming of the film) is also installed on one of the squares in Canakkale.
Trojan horse walks with the letter G and wins
Trojan layer cake
The end result of all expeditions was the discovery of 46 cultural layers on this territory, subdivided into nine cities that existed here at different times: from Troy-I to Troy-IX.
The historical scheme of Troy: century after century, millennium after millennium... 
Troy-I (circa 2920-2450 BC)
The first settlement, presumably related to the Cretan-Mycenaean, pre-Greek culture of the Mediterranean, is poorly preserved. The city was 90 meters in diameter and was surrounded by a low wall that followed the terrain. The wall had one gate with bastions.
Ancient Artifacts
Troy II (circa 2600-2450 BC)
This settlement has been preserved much better than the previous one; it was precisely this that was mistaken by Schliemann for Homer's Troy. The second city was 10 meters larger in diameter than its predecessor; the area of Troy-II was 8800 sq. m, and the wall surrounding the city in some places reached a thickness of four meters. There were two gates in the wall with carefully paved driveways - Western (taken by Schliemann for the Szekely Gates mentioned by Homer) and Eastern. The cause of the death of Troy-II was a very strong fire. The "burnt" layer reaches a thickness of two meters!
Troy VI (circa 1700-1250 BC)
Troy has regained its lost glory. This settlement already consisted of two cities: the Citadel and the Lower City, which was spread out behind the fortress walls. The fortress walls were made of carefully crafted blocks and in some places reached a thickness of five meters. Troy VI ceased to exist as a result of a powerful earthquake.
A very elegant jug made by ancient masters
Troy VII (circa 1250-1020 BC)
In fact, completely rebuilt after the earthquake, the city reached its greatest prosperity and power. The number of inhabitants of the Citadel and the Lower City reached seven thousand people, which at that time was a very solid figure. It is Troy-VII that is most suitable for the role of the city from the Iliad. The reason for the death of the city this time, most likely, was a military invasion caused by economic rivalry between Troy and Mycenae, and not at all the desire of the Greeks to return Elena the Beautiful to her lawful spouse.
Reconstruction: this is what Troy could have looked like in the era described by the great Homer
Troy-VIII, aka Ilion (about 800-85 BC)
Part of the population survived the fall of the city and continued to live in this territory even after the arrival of the Greek colonists. For a long time, Troy was an inconspicuous Greek colony, but at the end of the 4th century BC. the situation changed, large-scale construction began in the city. The Temple of Athena, the assembly building and the theater, designed for six thousand spectators, were built.
Silver tetradrachm from Troy, Hellenistic period (c. 188-160 BC). The obverse depicts the goddess Athena Pallas, on the reverse - a female figure and an owl, a symbol of wisdom. 
After Ilion became part of the Roman Empire, the city was granted new lands and tax exemptions, which again made Troy a prosperous city. However, in 85 BC, due to conflicts with Rome, the city was again sacked and destroyed, this time by the troops of the Roman governor Flavius Fimbrias.
Troy-IX, aka Ilion/Ilium (circa 85 BC - 500 AD)
Shortly after the destruction of the city, the famous Roman politician, dictator Sulla, ordered it to be rebuilt and populated. However, later, without the support of Rome, Troy gradually began to empty and sink into oblivion. In the VI century AD. the last buildings on the Hissarlik hill were empty, and the city sank into oblivion...
Famous Visitors to Troy
The glory of Troy attracted ancient monarchs to these places; in 480 BC city visited Persian king Xerxes, and in 334 BC. - Alexander the Great. He brought his weapon as a gift to the spirit of Priam, begged him not to be angry with Neoptolemus (the king of Troy, Priam, fell from the hand of this hero), from whom the great commander led his family, and vowed to revive Troy. But an untimely death prevented him from fulfilling his promise.
Julius Caesar and Octavian August sympathized with the city; under Augustus, the theater, the assembly building, and the Temple of Athena were rebuilt in Ilion.
The interest of the rulers of Rome in Troy was probably due to their belief in the myth of the origin of the Julius family. According to legend, the only Trojans who managed to escape after the Greek soldiers captured the city and massacred there were Aeneas, the son of the goddess Aphrodite, his paralyzed father Anchises and little son Ascanius. Aeneas carried them in his arms from the city in flames.
Federico Barocci, "The Flight of Aeneas from Troy"
(Federico Barocci, Aeneas" Flight from Troy, 1598) 
Ascanius is considered the progenitor of the Roman patricians, and from his son, Yul, the famous family of Julius went. Another Roman Emperor Constantine the Great, choosing a place for his future capital, also visited Troy, but found the city almost completely abandoned and made a choice in favor of Byzantium, which later became the center of the new empire. With the fall of the "great and mighty" Roman Empire, life disappeared in many corners of this superpower. Cities and roads were deserted, bridges and aqueducts collapsed...
Treasure of King Priam
On May 31, 1873, Schliemann managed to discover the richest collection of copper and gold jewelry, which he immediately called "Tsar Priam's Treasure" in support of his theory. Later, archaeologists came to the conclusion that the age of the find is about a thousand years older than the events described by Homer, which, of course, does not detract from its historical value.
The same Schlimann's "Treasure of King Priam"
The famous "Priam Treasure" (24 necklaces, 6 bracelets, 870 rings, 4066 brooches, 2 magnificent diadems, rings, chains and many small adornments), items from which were mistakenly taken by Schliemann for the treasures of a mythical ruler, the archaeologist found only during his second expeditions. The further history of this treasure is similar to the plot of an adventure novel.
According to the excavation permit received by the archaeologist from the Turkish authorities, he had to leave half of any valuable finds to Turkey. But Schliemann acted differently - he secretly, by smuggling methods, took the found treasures to Greece. The amateur archaeologist was not guided by the desire to get rich by selling the Treasure of Priam (his fortune was already huge), he believed that this treasure should belong to one of the European countries, and not to the Ottoman Empire. Schliemann offered the treasure as a gift to the Greek king, but he, for obvious reasons, refused. The Louvre was also not interested in the offer to accept valuable exhibits as a gift.
Sophia Engastromenos, second wife of Heinrich Schliemann, wearing the "Queen" necklace and diadem from the "Priam Hoard" found by her husband in Troy
The leadership of the British Museum certainly wanted to be sure that no laws were violated during the excavations. Then the treasure was offered to the Hermitage, but Schliemann was also refused from Russia, since his reputation here was somewhat tarnished (Schliemann at one time was engaged, to put it mildly, in bad faith, in supplying Russian army, had a family and a wife in Russia, with whom he divorced contrary to Russian laws). In the end, a unique find ended up in Berlin, in the Museum of Ancient and ancient history where it remained until the outbreak of World War II.
The treasure "disappeared" from the Berlin Museum in 1939, at the start of World War II. It is believed that he was hidden in underground bunkers so that he would not be damaged by the bombing. In 1945, during the capitulation of Germany, the director of the museum, Wilhelm Unferzagt, fearing the plunder of the unique collection by marauders, personally handed over three suitcases with Trojan treasures to the representatives of the Soviet military command. The treasure was taken to Moscow (mainly gold and silver) and to Leningrad (ceramics and bronze). Since 1949, the Trojan finds, on the personal orders of Stalin, were kept in the strictest secrecy.
In Germany and Western Europe they did not know anything about the act of Professor Unferzagt, and the "treasure" was considered lost. And only after almost half a century - after the collapse of the USSR, in 1993, it became officially known that the "Priam's Treasure" is safe and sound - in the storerooms of the Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts. Moreover, in 1996 in Moscow at the exhibition "Treasures of Troy from the excavations of Heinrich Schliemann" the once-secret exhibits were put on display to the general public. Naturally, an uproar immediately arose in the West: the Soviet (and at the same time its heir Russian) authorities were once again accused of all mortal sins in general and the plundering of other people's cultural property in particular. An international dispute arose over which country - Russia, Germany, Greece or Turkey - has the right to own them. Until now, a consensus has not been reached, and most of the Trojan treasures are again hidden from human eyes in museum funds.
Troy after Schliemann
After Schliemann's death in 1890, the excavations were continued by his assistant Wilhelm Dörpfeld. Dörpfeld, during the lifetime of his senior colleague, was the first to suggest that the layer where the "Priam's treasure" was found is actually older than the times of the Trojan War. When he expressed his guess to Schliemann, he became gloomy, went to his tent and was silent there for four days. Then he admitted that Dörpfeld was right. In subsequent years, he proved that Troy in the time of Priam was three layers higher than that which his predecessor idolized.
Thus, Schliemann's attempt to convince scientists that the events of Homer's epic is not a myth, but historical fact, failed. Yes he did amazing discoveries, but they have nothing to do with what he was looking for.
After Dörpfeld, archaeological research was stopped for almost 35 years. In the First World War, in the battle for the Dardanelles, the English navy inflicted considerable damage on the Hissarlik hill with shells; handfuls of finds were picked up from the bottom of the funnels.
Second World War again interrupted the work of archaeologists for a long time; excavations resumed only in the 70s of the XX century and are ongoing. Since the second half of the 20th century, Troy has become a place of pilgrimage for tourists. The 100-house Turkish village nestled very close to the open-air gridded museum and adjoining tourist center is not the tenth or eleventh Troy. Timeline is lost...
Troy and Troy: Homer vs Hollywood
A new wave of interest in history "for a long time past days" swept around the world in 2004, when the epic film of the same name by Wolfgang Petersen saw the light, with a whole collection of stars in the lead roles: Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, Orlando Bloom, Diane Kruger, Sean Bean, Rose Byrne, Peter O "Toole and others.
You can and should watch this film, but, of course, you should not expect that this is a literal adaptation of Homer. As comrade Alex Exler put it in his review, “this is just another blockbuster on a“ historical ”theme, which was conceived as a blockbuster, filmed as a blockbuster and turned out to be an ordinary blockbuster, no more and no less. Filmed quite high quality - and it looks, in general, effective enough."
Naturally, the film adaptation was not without inaccuracies and blunders, which would be too long to list, so I will limit myself only to my favorite number 7:
1. Achilles dies, not saving his beloved Briseis during the assault inside Troy (as shown in the film), but during the battle, and outside the walls of the city and even before its fall, having angered the god Apollo, who directs the arrow of Paris into the heel of Achilles .
2. Hector's wife Andromache was captured by the son of Achilles, Neoptolem (by the way, also not shown in the film), and her child was killed. In the film, her name is not mentioned at all, and she herself and her child escape from Troy.
3. The first to land on the shore of Troy was not Achilles, but Odysseus. (In the original, there was a legend that the first person to descend on Trojan land would be killed, so no one was in a hurry to jump from the ships, and Odysseus jumped on his shield.)
4. According to the myth, after the war, Menelaus takes his wife Helen back to his homeland, and Paris dies. In the film, Hector kills Menelaus, and Paris stays with Elena (a classic American happy ending, who would doubt it).
Orlando Bloom as Paris and Diane Kruger as Helen the Beautiful
5. In the film, cavalry gallops across the field like lava. But during the Trojan War, the Greeks did not know horseback riding, and horses were only harnessed to chariots. Helen is also shown sewing up the wounds of Paris after the fight with Menelaus. In fact, suturing was not known to ancient Greek medicine and did not come into practice until a thousand years later.
6. In the original, Achilles himself allows Patroclus to fight the Trojans instead of him and gives him his armor. In the film, there are no scenes of the battle of the Myrmidons with the Amazons and Echaeans, where Achilles performed the greatest feats. Also in the film there is no famous Cassandra - the things of the sister of Paris, who predicted the death of Troy because of her unlucky brother.
7. And, finally, the most important discrepancy between the film and the original is the absence of the ancient Greek gods, who played a prominent role in the Iliad in the Trojan War. Also, the film does not mention at all one of the bravest heroes - Diomedes, whose deeds play a key role in the plot of the Iliad: he was the only Greek who fought the Olympian gods and even wounded Aphrodite and Ares, and the description of his exploits occupies almost the entire V book of the epic. Together with Odysseus, it was Diomedes who, having penetrated into the besieged Troy, stole Palladium (the statue of Athena), prejudging the fate of Troy. In addition, in the original, the war lasted ten years and the Iliad described the last year of the war. In the film, the war lasted a little over two weeks.
Johann Georg Trautmann, The Fall of Troy
(Johann Georg Trautmann (1713–1769): Blick auf das brennende Troja) 
In conclusion - my IMHO
So if you, gentlemen readers, happen to visit the places I have described - you can, if you wish, go to Troy to, so to speak, "check in" - so, they say, I visited such a legendary place, following the ancient heroes and a string of kings and emperors. :) Since the most interesting artefacts and valuable treasures have long been spread around the museums of the world, and Troy itself, after Schliemann's "expeditions", is now, as one of the scientists aptly put it, "ruins of ruins". All hope for the future discoveries of archaeologists who continue to dig in breadth and depth, and, as you know, often present very unexpected, and sometimes even sensational surprises...
Technical information
Historical and cultural park "Troya" is open from 8.30 to 19 hours; entrance to the territory at the time of my visit cost 15 lire (now, perhaps more expensive), for especially sophisticated individuals with different solid cash - by agreement with the controllers, up to free of charge :)
If you have pinned yourself there with a serious backpack (like me, for example, in my time :)), you can leave it (by agreement) in the care of the gatekeepers; I didn't see any storage space there. Although, perhaps she is.
How to get there:
1. If you have hitchhiking skills, then it will not be difficult for you to drive 30 km from the north - from Canakkale, or get to Troy, on the contrary, from the south of the country along the E-87 highway, also known as D-550/560. ;)
2. Well, if you still prefer more civilized types of transportation of your own body, then minibuses leave from Canakkale hourly on a round-trip basis. You need to look for them at the local local bus station, not far from the bridge over the river.
3. There are also reputable bus companies that operate flights from Istanbul to Canakkale (and vice versa). As you know, the distance between Istanbul and Canakkale is 310 km, and the journey will take about 5 and a half hours, including the ferry crossing. There are several bus companies in Ch.:
Project: Troy on the website of the German University of Tübingen
Çanakkale-Tübingen joint site, with many photos
Heinrich Schliemann and his Trojan Antiquities
"Troy was never a Greek city!" - an interesting topic on the History.ru forum
and, of course, Wikipedia (where would we be without it :)):
You can call it Troy. The city of Troy (in Turkish - Truva), became known throughout the world thanks to the epics of the ancient Greek writer Homer and many legends and myths. The city of Troy is famous for the fact that the Trojan War took place here around 1200 BC.
Trojan War and Trojan Horse
According to Homer's Iliad, the ruler of Troy, King Priam, waged war with the Greeks because of the kidnapped Helen. Helen was the wife of Menelaus, ruler of the Greek city of Sparta, but she ran away with Paris, prince of Troy. Since Paris refused to return Helen, a war broke out that lasted 10 years. In another poem by Homer, The Odyssey, he talks about how Troy was destroyed. The Trojan War took place between a coalition of Achaean tribes and the Trojans and is famous for the fact that the Achaeans (ancient Greeks) took Troy with the help of military cunning. The Greeks built a huge wooden horse and left it in front of the gates of Troy, while they themselves sailed away. Warriors were hidden in the horse, and on the side of the horse was the inscription “This gift was left to the goddess Athena.” The inhabitants of the city allowed the huge statue to be brought inside the walls, and the Greek soldiers sitting in it came out and captured the city. Troy is also mentioned in Virgil's Aeneid. The expression "Trojan horse" now means a gift that brings harm. It is from here that the name of malicious computer programs appeared - “Trojan horses” or simply “Trojans”.
Where is Troy today?
Sung by Homer and Virgil, Troy was discovered in the northwestern part of modern Turkey, at the entrance from the Aegean to the strait Dardanelles(Hellespont). Today the village of Troy lies about 30 km south of the city. Canakkale. And the distance from to Troy is 430 km (5 hours by bus). In the course of many millennia through the lands where it was Troy, passing roads from west to east and from north to south, today, among the fields planted with pepper, corn and tomatoes, Troy looks more than modest.
Excavations of Troy
Long time Troy remained a legendary city - until the ruins ancient settlement not discovered by a German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann in 1870. During the excavations, it became clear that for the ancient world this city had great importance. The main part of the excavations of Troy is located on the Hissarlik hill, where paths and roads were carefully arranged for tourists. The symbol of the city is the famous Trojan horse, the model of which is located at the entrance of the complex. The only thing that actually reminds me of legendary city- the symbol of Troy - a wooden horse, located at the entrance to the territory national park. Anyone can go inside and look at unusual way the conquest of the city that Odysseus once invented. Was there really a horse? This can be found in the excavation museum. At the entrance, not far from the horse, there is an excavation museum, which shows the stages of finding the city, the first artifacts found and the model of the city as it was during its “life”. In addition to the model, there is a whole album with sketches of a functioning city. In local stalls, copies of it are sold as souvenirs.
What to see in Troy
Next to the small museum at the entrance, there is a garden containing authentic "Pithos" clay pots from Troy, as well as water pipes and a picture of the city's water supply system. The main attraction of the ancient city, of course, are the ruins. Many buildings have come down to us in a very poor condition, and to understand where everything is, you need the help of a guide. AT ancient world Troy was known as Ilion, and during the life of the city it was attacked and destroyed many times. Now it is difficult to understand whether the cobblestone is in front of you or a piece of a residential building. There are few fragments of buildings, but archaeologists and artists were able to recreate almost all the buildings on paper.
by the most interesting buildings towers and wall fortifications near the altar of the temple of Athena are considered. Why? Because then it turns out that everything Homer wrote about in the Iliad is true. Not far from the city there are new excavations, presumably of the city of Alexandria, which is located near the residential village of Gulpinar. In the city of Alexandria, the remains of the temple of Apollo have already been found. Soon they plan to attach the city to the complex of the ruins of Troy and open a museum of Homer's work. From the excavations of this city, it will be clearer what Homer wrote, because many of the events of the Iliad took place here.
Myths and legends about the Trojan War
Judgment of Paris
Myths say that the goddess of discord Eris was not invited to the wedding of the nymph Thetis with Peleus. After which she decided to take revenge, she appeared at the feast uninvited and threw it on the table Golden Apple, on which it was written: "To the most beautiful." Three goddesses - Aphrodite, Hera and Athena - immediately started a dispute over who should get it, and the Trojan prince Paris was invited to the role of judge. Hera promised to make him the ruler of all Asia, Athena promised beauty, wisdom and victories in all battles, and Aphrodite - the love of the most beautiful woman - Helen, the wife of King Menelaus of Sparta. Paris gave the apple to Aphrodite. And then he kidnapped Helen and took her to Troy.
Elena's kidnapping
After the abduction of Helen, the Greek kings, allies of Menelaus, at his call, gathered an army of 10 thousand soldiers and a fleet of 1178 ships and marched on Troy. The king of Mycenae Agamemnon became the commander-in-chief. The siege of Troy, which had many allies, lasted ten years. The Greek hero Achilles, the Trojan prince Hector and many others died in the battles. Finally, the cunning king of Ithaca, Odysseus, proposed a plan to capture the city. The Greeks built a hollow wooden horse and, leaving it on the shore, pretended to have set sail. The Trojans rejoiced and dragged the horse in which the Greek soldiers hid. At night, the Greeks got out and opened the gates to their comrades-in-arms, who were actually behind the nearest cape. Troy was destroyed and burned. Menelaus returned Helen and took her to her homeland.
Troy is the scene of the legendary Trojan War, which is reflected in the 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 the archaeological finds found on the ground: some of them fit the description of Troy by Homer in the Iliad.
Troy is also called Hisarlika (Turkish name), Ilios or Elijah, as well as Ilium (as Homer called the city).
Mythological Troy
Troy is the main setting in Homer's Iliad; We recall that the work is dedicated last year The Trojan War, which took place in the 13th century BC. The war lasted 10 years: King Agamemnon of Mycenae, together with his allies, the Greek troops, literally laid siege to 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, as at the beauty contest she was honored with the grace of herself, who recognized Elena as the most beautiful of the women living on earth.
Mentions of the Trojan War are also found in other literary sources: for example, in the poems of several authors, as well as in Homer's Odyssey. Troy and later became one of the most popular subjects in mythology and classical literature.
Homer describes Troy as a city surrounded by a strong, invincible wall. In the Iliad, there are also 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, as 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 seemed to be donated to the Trojans, but in fact the soldiers hid in it, and later were able to break into the city, breaking 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) until the 12th century AD. the city, which is commonly called Troy, is located 5 km from the coast, but once it was located near the sea.
The territory of Troy was limited by a 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 found 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, according to the descriptions, were similar to those described by Homer in the Iliad.
However, all the artifacts were dated earlier and probably belonged to the period of the life of the Greeks before the Trojan War.
Excavations continued throughout the 20th century AD. and are ongoing to this day.
According to the latest data, nine different cities could be located on the territory of the proposed 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 the finds of archaeologists.
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 supplies created by masters of other cities in the image and likeness of those that the Trojans once created.
For the historian and archaeologist Troy is a Bronze Age settlement, first discovered by Heinrich Schliemann in the 19th century.
The area described by Homer and other ancient authors who mentioned Troy is located near the Aegean Sea, not far from the entrance to the Hellespont (modern Dardanelles). Ranges of low hills adjoin the shore here, and behind them a plain extends along which two small rivers flow, Menderes and Dumrek. Approximately 5 km from the coast, the plain turns into a steep slope with a height of approx. 25 m, and further east and south again stretches the plain, behind which rise more significant hills and mountains in the distance.
German businessman Heinrich Schliemann, an amateur archaeologist, was fascinated from childhood by the story of Troy and was imbued with a passionate conviction of its truth. In 1870, he began excavations of a hill located on the edge of a slope near the village of Hisarlyk, a few kilometers from the entrance to the Dardanelles. In overlapping layers, Schliemann found details of architecture and many objects made of stone, bone and Ivory, copper and precious metals, which made scientific world to reconsider ideas about the heroic age. Schliemann did not immediately recognize the layers of the Mycenaean era and the late Bronze Age, but in the depths of the hill he came across a much older fortress, chronologically the second, and with full confidence called it the city of Priam. After Schliemann's death in 1890, his colleague Wilhelm Dörpfeld continued to work and in 1893 and 1894 opened the much larger perimeter of Troy VI. This settlement corresponds to the Mycenaean era and therefore it was recognized as the Troy of the Homeric legend. Now most scientists believe that the hill near Hissarlik is the real historical Troy, sung by Homer.
In the ancient world, Troy occupied a key position both militarily and economically. A large fortress and a small fort on the seashore allowed her to easily control both the movement of ships through the Hellespont and the routes connecting Europe and Asia by land. The leader who ruled here could tax the imported goods or not let them pass at all, and therefore the conflicts in this region, which we know about in relation to a later time, could begin as early as the Bronze Age. For three and a half millennia, this place was inhabited almost constantly, and throughout this period, cultural and economic ties connected Troy not with the East, but with the West, with the Aegean civilization, of which the culture of Troy was to a certain extent.
Most of Troy's buildings had mud-brick walls built on low stone foundations. When they collapsed, the debris did not clear, but only leveled the place to erect new buildings. In the ruins, 9 main layers are distinguished, each with its own subdivisions. The features of the settlements of different eras can be briefly characterized as follows.
Troy I.
The first settlement was a small fortress no more than 90 m in diameter. It had a massive defensive wall with gates and square towers. In this settlement, ten successive layers are distinguished, which proves the duration of its existence. Pottery from this period is sculpted without a potter's wheel, is gray or black in color and has a polished surface. There are tools made of copper.
Troy II.
On the ruins of the first fortress, a larger citadel with a diameter of approx. 125 m. It also has high thick walls, protruding towers and gates. A ramp paved with well-fitted flagstones led into the fortress from the southeast. The defensive wall was rebuilt twice and expanded as the power and wealth of the rulers grew. In the center of the fortress, a palace (megaron) with a deep portico and a large main hall has been partially preserved. Around the palace is a courtyard, smaller living quarters and warehouses. The seven stages of the existence of Troy II are represented by overlapping architectural remains in layers. At the last stage, the city died in such a powerful fire that brick and stone crumbled from its heat and turned to dust. The disaster was so sudden that the inhabitants fled, leaving behind all their valuables and household items.
Troy III-V.
After the destruction of Troy II, her place was immediately taken. Settlements III, IV and V, each of which is larger than the previous one, have traces of a continuous cultural tradition. These settlements consist of groups of small houses separated from each other by narrow lanes. Vessels with stucco images of a human face are common. Along with local products, imported goods are found, as in earlier layers, typical of mainland Greece of the early Bronze Age.
Troy VI.
The first stages of settlement VI are marked by the appearance of the so-called. gray Minian pottery, as well as the first evidence of the presence of horses. After a long period of growth, the city entered the next stage of exceptional wealth and power. The diameter of the citadel exceeded 180 m, it was surrounded by a wall 5 m thick, skillfully built of hewn stone. There were at least three towers and four gates along the perimeter. Inside, large buildings and palaces were located in concentric circles, rising along the terraces to the center of the hill ( upper layers the summit no longer exists, see Troy IX below). The buildings of Troy VI are built on a larger scale than the earlier ones, in some columns and bases of columns were found. Ended an era strong earthquake, which covered the walls with cracks and brought down the buildings themselves. Throughout the successive stages of Troy VI, Minyan gray remained the main type of local pottery, supplemented by a few vessels imported from Greece during the Middle Bronze Age and many vessels imported during the Mycenaean era.
Troy VII.
After the earthquake, the area was repopulated. The large perimeter wall was reused, as were the surviving parts of the walls and many of the building blocks. The houses became smaller, they crowded together, as if much more people. Large jugs were built into the floors of the houses for supplies, most likely in case of hard times. The first phase of Troy VII, designated VIIa, was destroyed by fire, but part of the population returned and re-settled on the hill, at first in the same composition, but later these people were joined (or temporarily subdued) by another tribe, who brought with them a rough made (without pottery) circle) ceramics, which became a characteristic sign of Troy VIIb and, apparently, indicates connections with Europe.
Troy VIII.
Now Troy has become a Greek city. It was well-maintained in the early periods, but by the 6th c. BC, when part of the population left it, fell into decay. Be that as it may, Troy had no political weight. In the sanctuary on the southwestern slope of the acropolis, sacrifices were made - most likely to Cybele; it is possible that a temple to Athena also existed on the summit.
Troy IX.
In the Hellenistic era, the place called Ilion played no role, except for the memories of the heroic past associated with it. Alexander the Great made a pilgrimage here in 334 BC, and his successors also revered this city. They and the Roman emperors from the Julio-Claudian dynasty carried out a program of large-scale reconstruction of the city. The top of the hill was cut and leveled (so layers VI, VII and VIII were mixed). A temple of Athena with a sacred site was erected here, public buildings were built on a hill and on a flat area to the south, also walled, and a large theater was built in the northeastern slope. During the time of Constantine the Great, who at some point was going to make the city his capital, Ilion flourished, but again lost its importance with the rise of Constantinople.
Troy (Ilion) is the famous ancient city-fortress, which was sung 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 to Troy
Before the advent of Troy, an ancient Neolithic settlement of Kumtepe existed in its place, it was founded around 4.8 millennium BC. In Kumtepe, mainly fishermen lived, who not only caught fish, but also traded it.
Having existed 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 a favorable political and economic situation: 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, 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 by historians the Teucres.
The heyday of the city falls on the famous Mycenaean civilization. In addition to the epic of Homer, Troy is mentioned in the ancient cuneiform tablets of Taruish, ancient Egyptian papyri of the times Ramses III, in Mycenaean texts, etc.
Historians have not come to a consensus on the origin of the Trojans. They are also still arguing whether Troy is the name of the state or its capital. The information that has come down to us from the depths of time is clearly not enough.
Legend of the founding of Troy
In accordance with ancient Greek mythology, Troy was founded by a certain young man Il. He was generously rewarded by the Phrygian king for winning the competition, he presented 100 slaves and a cow in addition, and ordered to found a city where the cow wants to rest.
The cow decided to lie down on Ata Hill. It was on this hill that the legendary Troy or Ilion was founded. Zeus blessed the founding of the city, promised to protect it and sent Il 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 under the king of Troy and built a powerful wall of large stone blocks around the city.
For a long time, European scientists argued where Troy was located. AT early XIX century, the English historian McLaren suggested that the ancient city was located under the hill of Gissarlik.
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 contemporaries.
Today, Schliemann's archaeological finds are kept in the Pushkin Museum, the Hermitage and other museums around the world. Excavations continue on the site of the Hissarlik hill, the ruins of nine ancient fortresses from different eras have already been exposed.
Layers of the ancient city of Troy
According to the results archaeological sites 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 settlement in the form of a fortress with simple clay walls and houses. It most likely died in a fire. Ceramic items similar to those found in Bulgaria have been found.
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 struck 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, the fallen Troy was captured by the Phrygians.
5. Troy VIII-IX (900 - 350 BC)
At this time, the history of Troy and Ancient Greece closely related. Greeks live in the city, the famous Greek king Xerxes visits him, 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 VI 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 Luvian origin and spoke Luvian. All assumptions are based on ancient Greek legends.
