Where is Troy? The city of Troy is history. Troy on a modern map

Many centuries this city and its history do not give rest to archeologists and simple adventurers. A century and a half ago, Henry Schliemann managed to find the place where Troy is located, and in 1988 the interest of scientists to this legendary city again increased. To date, a lot of research has been done here and several cultural layers have been discovered.

general information

This settlement of the Luvian civilization, also known as Ilion, is an ancient city that was located in the northwest of Asia Minor, off the coast of the Aegean Sea. This is where Troy was on the world map. The city became famous for the epics of the ancient Greek writer Homer and a lot of legends and myths, and was found by the archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann.

The main reason why the ancient city managed to gain such popularity is the Trojan War and all its attendant events. According to the descriptions of the Iliad, it was a ten-year war that led to the fall of the settlement.

First ditch

There is a hypothesis according to which the area of Troy was much larger than previously thought. In 1992, excavations were carried out, resulting in the discovery of a moat that encircles the city. This ditch lies far enough from the city walls, surrounding the area of about 200 thousand m ² , although the city itself occupied only about 20 thousand m ² . German scientist Manfred Korfman believes that in this territory was the Lower Town, and until 1700 BC. E. Here people still lived.

The second moat

Two years later, in 1994, during excavations, a second artificially created ditch was discovered, which ran about five hundred meters from the fortress. Both moats were a system of fortifications, designed to protect the fortress, because they could not be overcome on battle chariots. Archaeologists believe that there were sharpened stakes or a wooden wall. Such fastenings are described in the immortal "Iliad", although it is hardly possible today to rely on it as a historical treatise.

The Louvites or the Creole-Mykene?

Archaeologist Korfman believes that Troy is the direct heir of the Anatolian civilization, and not, as is commonly believed, the Crito-Mycenaean civilization. The modern territory of Troy contains many finds confirming this. But in 1995, a special discovery was made: here we found a seal with hieroglyphics in the Luvian language, which was previously distributed in Asia Minor. But so far, unfortunately, no new discoveries have been made, which could clearly testify that in Troy they spoke this language.

However, Korfman was absolutely sure that the ancient Trojans were the direct descendants of the Indo-European peoples and were of the Luwian origin. This is the people who around II millennium BC. E. Moved to Anatolia. Many items that were found during excavations in Troy, most likely belong to this particular civilization, rather than Greek. There are several other factors that support the possibility of this assumption. In the territory where Troy was, the fortress walls resemble the Mycenaean, and the appearance of the houses is quite typical of Anatolian architecture.

Religion

During the many excavations here, the Hittite-Luwian cult objects were also found. Near the southern gate were four stelae, which in the Hittite culture symbolized the deity. In addition, the cemetery, which was located near the city walls, preserved signs of cremation. Given that this method of burial is uncharacteristic for Western peoples, but the Hittites resorted to it, this is another plus in favor of Korfman's theory. However, today it is very difficult to determine how it really was.

Troy on the world map

Since Troy was between two fires - between the Greeks and the Hittites - she often had to become a participant in the massacres. Regularly there were wars, and the settlement was attacked by new enemies. This is scientifically proven, because on the site where Troy is located, that is, in the territory of modern Turkey, traces of fires were found. But about 1180 BC. E. Here there was a catastrophe that marked the beginning of a difficult period in the history of not only Troy, but the whole world.

Trojan War

If on concrete artifacts found during excavation, and you can say something specific, then the events that took place in the political arena, as well as their true background, remain under big question. Lack of information and a lot of theories, often illogical, some take at face value, which gave birth to many myths and legends. The same applies to the epic of the great ancient Greek singer Homer, which some scientists are prepared to consider as evidence of an eyewitness for lack of evidence, although this war took place long before the birth of the author of the poem, and he knew about it only from the lips of others.

Elena and Paris

According to the legend described in the Iliad, the cause of the war was a woman, wife of the Tsar Menelaus - Elena. Troy, whose history knew many troubles, was repeatedly attacked by the Greeks and before the war, because the Trojans managed to control trade relations in the Dardanelles. According to myths, the war began because one of the sons of the Trojan king Priam - Paris - kidnapped the wife of the Greek ruler, and the Greeks, in turn, decided to return it.

Most likely, such an event did take place in history, but not only it was the cause of the war. This incident was the climax, after which the war began.

Trojan horse

Another legend about the death of Ilium, tells how the Greeks managed to win the battle. If you believe the literary sources, it became possible thanks to the so-called Trojan horse, but this version has many contradictions. In his first poem "Iliad", completely dedicated to Troy, Homer does not mention this episode of the war, but in the Odyssey he describes it in detail. From this we can conclude that, most likely, it is an artistic fiction, especially since no archaeological evidence is found on the site where Troy is located.

There is also a suggestion that under the Trojan horse Homer meant a ram, or so he demonstrated the symbol of the sea-going ships that were going to kill the city.

Why was Troy destroyed?

The history of the city, written by Homer, argues that the death of the city was caused precisely by the Trojan horse - this non-trivial gift of the Greeks. According to the legend, the Greeks claimed that if the horse was to be within the walls of the city, he would be able to defend himself against raids.

Most of the city's residents agreed with this, even though the priest Laocoon threw a spear at the horse, after which it became clear that he was hollow. But, apparently, the logic of the Trojans suffered, and they decided to bring an enemy gift to the city, for which they brutally paid. However, this is just a guess of Homer, it is unlikely that this happened in reality.

Multilayered Troy

On a modern map, this city-state is located on the territory of Gissarlik Hill in Turkey. During numerous excavations in this area, several settlements were discovered, which were located here in antiquity. Archaeologists have managed to find nine different layers that belong to different years, and the whole aggregate of these periods is called Troy.

From the first settlement only two towers remained in safety. The second layer was studied by Heinrich Schliemann, believing that it was this Troy, in which the sung praise King Priam lived. Judging by the finds, the inhabitants of the sixth settlement on this territory achieved considerable development. By results of excavations it was possible to establish, that during this period active trade with Greeks here was carried out. The city itself was destroyed by earthquakes.

Modern archaeologists believe that the seventh of the found layers - this is the Homeric Ilion. Historians argue that the city was killed by a fire initiated by Greek troops. The eighth layer is a settlement of Greek colonists who lived here after Troy was destroyed. They, on the assurances of archaeologists, built here the temple of Athena. The last of the layers, the ninth, dates back to the era of the Roman Empire.

Modern Troy is a huge territory, on which excavations are conducted to this day. Their goal is to find any evidence of the history described in the great Homeric epic. A lot of legends and myths have been encouraging scientists, archeologists and adventurous adventurers for several centuries to contribute their own - albeit small - contribution to the discovery of the mysteries of this magnificent city, which was once one of the main trade arteries of the ancient world.

In the place where Troy is located, many discoveries were made, which were extremely important for modern science. But no less puzzles were given by excavations carried out by a huge number of professional archaeologists. To this day, it remains only to wait until new, stronger proofs of the events described in the Odyssey and the Iliad are found. In the meantime, we will only have to guess about the true events that took place in the great ancient city of Troy.