Troy city where is now. Troy, Turkey Trojan War and Trojan Horse

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 coast 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 on a hill located on the edge of a slope near the village of Hisarlik, 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 forced the 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 the work and in 1893 and 1894 discovered 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 with a diameter of no more than 90 m. 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 pieces of flagstone 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 are made up 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 (the upper layers of the peak now do not exist, 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. A strong earthquake ended the era, which covered the walls with cracks and collapsed 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, today is a huge museum complex under open sky. Every year thousands of tourists come here to see the results of the archaeological excavations of this legendary city.

Troy is an open-air museum city and one of the most famous historical sights in Turkey. It is generally accepted by historians that it is he who is described in his famous works "Odyssey" and "Iliad" by the Greek poet Homer. For quite a long time it was considered that Troy was a product of the writer's imagination, and those who believed in its existence believed that its location was the area near the village of Bunarbashi. But in the seventies of the nineteenth century, the famous archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann, while excavating on the hill of Hisarlik, came across the ruins of nine cities located in different historical layers of the earth, one after another. After a thorough analysis, it was found that this is the place Homer describes, and this is where the legendary Troy is located. Since then, this city has been one of the most popular, famous and visited attractions in Turkey. This city-museum is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.

History reference

Today, after much research and modern methods conducting analyzes on the dating of a particular historical find, it has been scientifically proven that the archaeological zone of the city of Troy represents nine cultural layers, the oldest of which can be attributed to the fourth millennium BC. Excavations at the location of the city continue to this day.

From the historical period called Troy I, two stone towers have been discovered, from one of the central entrances to the city. Troy II prepared a surprise for the heirs in the form of a ramp, which was lined with huge slabs that hid under them the innumerable treasures of one of Trojan kings- Priam. III, IV and V of Troy did not bring significant discoveries to archaeologists, except for a few dilapidated houses and streets. The period of Troy IV was the apogee of the development of this city. The area of ​​the city in this historical layer is 200 meters in diameter. It had powerful walls protecting the population from external enemies. The inhabitants were actively engaged in trade with other cities, until one of the powerful earthquakes, in about 1300 BC, destroyed Troy to the ground.

Troy VII, according to scientists, this is the very city, a contemporary of which Homer was. In 1184 BC, the Greeks attacked the city, and once again it was completely destroyed. The times of Troy VIII refer to the revival of the city by the Greek colonists, who erect here the temple of Athena. In subsequent years, the settlement alternately passes under the dominion of first the Persians, then the Romans. It was at the time of the entry of these territories into the Roman Empire that Troy IX flourished. At one time, Christianity was actively preached here, and even an episcopal see was established. But after the capture Ottoman Empire, the Turks consign the city to oblivion. This is the scientifically proven version historical development cities. But there is also a mythical component, closely intertwined with the thousand-year existence of Troy. The famous Trojan War, the ten-year siege, the legendary Trojan horse, unearthly beauty Helena of Troy, regardless of whether they really existed, or is it just fiction, they are also an essential part of the historical heritage of both the city of Troy in particular and the whole Turkey in general.

The historical significance of Troy

The significance of the city in world history today is quite difficult to define, because of the too long time period between modernity and those millennia BC when it existed, too little reliable information relating to that time is available to scientists. More and more, any data is taken from the works of Homer, Plato, Aristotle, and it is rather problematic to distinguish from them what really happened, and what is just a beautiful fairy tale, designed to brighten up readers' leisure. But the main points can be distinguished. First, Troy is an active participant in the ethnogenesis of most European peoples of those days. Secondly, due to its location, at the entrance to the Dardanelles, Troy for two thousand years single-handedly controlled the sea routes from the Black Sea to the Mediterranean.

The current state of Troy

Today, the area where modern Troy is located is strikingly different from that described by Homer. Silt deposits of the Kara Menderes and Dumrek-Su rivers year after year, day after day, pushed back the coastline, and now the city lies on a completely dry hill. The city-museum certainly has something to see, some ruins belonging to different historical periods are worth something. Tourist visits are allowed here from May to September from 8.00 to 19.00, and from September to April from 8.00 to 17.00. The entrance ticket costs 15 lire. The best solution for a more complete acquaintance with all the exhibits would be to hire a guide.

One of the most popular and favorite places in the city is the famous Trojan horse, and to be precise, its wooden copy. Everyone can climb inside the horse and feel like cunning and dexterous supporters of Odysseus. True, most often there are so many tourists that most not only cannot stand the queue to get inside the Trojan horse, they simply cannot even come closer than a few hundred meters to it. It can also be interesting to visit the Museum of Excavations, with numerous photographs, models and many other exhibits describing the stages of work to discover the city. Numerous inquisitive tourists can visit the temple of Athena, impressive in its size and majesty, the mysterious and gloomy sanctuary of the ancient gods, the Odeon concert hall, and the houses of celebrities and the rich of Troy that have survived to this day.

Location of Troy and attractions near it

Troy is located thirty kilometers south of the Turkish city of Canakkale.

South of Troy are the ruins of another city, Alexandria-Troas, which was founded in the 4th century BC. It was later captured by Alexander the Great and renamed in his honor. Near Alexandria-Troas is located ancient city Ass or Behramkale. It is picturesquely located on a hill surrounded by dilapidated walls. In Asse, in the time of Plato and Aristotle, a rather well-known philosophical school was founded at that time; many famous philosophers visited it. The sights of Ass include the Murad Mosque, which was built on the remains of a Byzantine church, numerous tombs, and caravanserais, which are now converted into hotels.

Everyone who wants to get acquainted with the sights of Troy and its environs can use one of the bus routes that regularly depart from the city of Channakale, or get on their own from Bursa, Istanbul or Izmir using fixed-route taxis. By the way, visiting this historical place will not make a hole in the budget of even the poorest tourist. Except for the entrance ticket, and travel, there is nowhere to spend money, no shops, shops, restaurants and cafes.

Instead of a conclusion

Turkey is a wonderful country. With its original history and rather specific local population, which, on the one hand, is trying with all its might to make money on numerous tourists, on the other hand, they secretly despise the life and culture of the country's guests. Troy is one of the most significant historical and cultural monuments in Turkey. Its thousand-year history, mostly covered with numerous myths and legends, annually attracts crowds of tourists from all over the world. Today one can only guess which of what is described by the Greek poet Homer in his imperishable masterpieces is true and which is false. Although most historians argue that Trojan War took place. True, the reasons for which it flared up are shrouded in mystery, and it may turn out that it was Elena the Beautiful who served as the impetus for bloody strife and the subsequent destruction of the city. Which, however, over and over again, like a Phoenix bird, rose from the fire and sands of oblivion, as evidenced by the numerous historical layers discovered during excavations.

Troy (Truva, Troy) - a city located in the northwestern part of Anatolia, near the Dardanelles and Mount Ida, is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
Troy is known for the most part because of the Trojan War (and that very horse), described in many works of the ancient epic, including the famous Odyssey and Iliad by Homer.

The ancient world and the date of the formation of Troy
Before the advent of the legendary Troy, the ancient permanent settlement of Kumtepe was located on the Troad peninsula. Its founding date is generally considered to be around 4800 BC. The inhabitants of the ancient settlement were mainly engaged in fishing. Oysters were also included in the diet of the settlers. In Kumtepe, the dead were interred, but without any funeral gifts.
In the region of 4500 BC, the settlement was abandoned, but around 3700 BC it was revived again thanks to new colonists. The new population of Kumtepe was engaged in cattle breeding and agriculture, and also lived in large houses with several rooms. Goats and sheep were bred by the inhabitants of the settlement not only for meat, but also for milk and wool. The history of Troy dates back to 3000 BC. Fortified locality was located in Asia Minor on the Troad peninsula. The city was located in a fertile hilly country.
In the place where Troy was located, the rivers Simois and Scamander flowed on both sides of the city. There was also free access to the Aegean Sea. Thus, throughout its existence, Troy occupied a very advantageous geographical position, not only in the economic sphere, but also in terms of defense in the event of a possible invasion of enemies. It is no coincidence that the city ancient world, in the Bronze Age, that is why it became a key center of trade between East and West.


The legend of the origin of Troy
You can learn about the appearance of the legendary city from an old legend. Long before the construction of Troy, the Tevkrian people lived on the territory of the Troad peninsula (the place where Troy was located). The character of ancient Greek mythology, Tros, called the country he ruled Troy. Consequently, all the inhabitants began to be called Trojans.
One legend tells about the origin of the city of Troy. The eldest son of Tros was Il, who, after the death of his father, inherited part of his kingdom. One day he came to Phrygia, having managed to successfully defeat all rivals in the competition. The Phrygian king generously rewarded Il by giving him 50 young men and the same number of maidens. Also, according to legend, the ruler of Phrygia gave the hero a motley cow and ordered to found a city in the place where she wants to rest. On Ata Hill, the animal had a desire to lie down. It was there that Troy was founded, which was also called Ilion.
Before building the city, Il asked Zeus for a good sign. The next morning, a wooden image of Pallas Athena appeared in front of the tent of the founder of the legendary city. Thus, Zeus provided Ilu with a pledge of divine help, a stronghold and protection for the people of Troy. Subsequently, a temple appeared on the site of the appearance of the wooden image of Pallas Athena, and the built Troy was reliably protected from enemies by high walls with loopholes. Il's son, King Laomedont, continued his father's work, fortifying the lower part of the city with a wall.

The early layers of Troy belong to the original Western Anatolian civilization. Gradually, Troy is increasingly influenced by central Anatolia (the Hattians, later the Hittites).
The name "Troy" appears in the Hittite cuneiform tablets of the Bogazkoy archive as Taruisha. On the Egyptian stele of times Ramses III his victory over the sea people "Tursha" is mentioned. This name is often compared with the Teresh people, mentioned a little earlier on the famous Merneptah Stele. Unanimous opinions about whether these aliens were Trojans, in scientific world not visible. Names with this root are found in Mycenaean texts, for example, the commander of the detachment to-ro-o.

Previously, considerations were expressed that the terms "Troy" and "Ilion" could designate different cities of the same ancient state, or one of these terms could designate the capital, and the other - the state itself, and “merged” into one term only in the Iliad (according to Gindin and Tsymbursky, Troy is the designation of the country, and Ilion is the city). Such a point of view is not without foundation, since in the Iliad, in turn, fragments with parallel plots are distinguished, that is, possibly ascending to different retellings of the same plot; moreover, the Iliad arose many centuries after the events of the Trojan War, when many details could have been forgotten.

Excavations of Troy
Among historians contemporary to Heinrich Schliemann, the hypothesis was widespread that Troy was located on the site of the village of Bunarbashi. The identity of the Hisarlik hill with Homer's Troy was suggested in 1822 by Charles MacLaren. A supporter of his ideas was Frank Calvert, who began excavations in Hisarlik 7 years before Schliemann. Ironically, Calvert's section of the Hissarlik hill was aloof from Homer's Troy. Heinrich Schliemann, who was familiar with Calvert, began a focused exploration of the second half of the Hissarlik hill in late XIX century. Most of Schliemann's finds are now kept in the Pushkin Museum (Moscow), as well as in the State Hermitage. To date, archaeologists have found traces of nine fortresses-settlements that existed in different eras on the territory of the excavations in Hisarlik.

The first settlement found at Hissarlik (the so-called Troy I) was a fortress less than 100 m in diameter and apparently existed for a long period. The seventh layer belongs to the era described in the Iliad. During this period, Troy was a vast (with an area of ​​over 200 thousand m²) settlement, surrounded by strong walls with nine-meter towers. Major excavations in 1988 showed that the population of the city in the Homeric era was from six to ten thousand inhabitants - at that time, a very impressive number. According to the expedition of Manfred Korfman, the area lower city was approximately 170 thousand m², the citadels - 23 thousand m².

The nine main layers of ancient Troy
Troy I (3000-2600 BC): The first Trojan settlement, 100 m in diameter, was built up with very primitive mud-brick dwellings. Judging by the remaining traces, it died during a fire. The pottery bears a resemblance to that of the Lake culture in Bulgaria.
Troy II (2600-2300 BC): The next settlement looks more developed and wealthy. In 1873, the German archaeologist Schliemann discovered the famous Trojan treasure in this layer, which consisted of numerous weapons, copper trinkets, pieces of precious jewelry, gold vessels, tombstones of the prehistoric and early historical period. In the III millennium BC. e. this highly developed culture was also destroyed by fire.
Troy III-IV-V (2300-1900 BC): These layers testify to a period of decline in the history of the ancient city.
Troy VI (1900-1300 BC): The city increased in diameter to 200 meters. The settlement became a victim strong earthquake 1300 BC e.
Troy VII-A (1300-1200 BC): The famous Trojan War dates from this period. Later, the Athenians plundered and destroyed the settlement.
Troy VII-B (1200-900 B.C.): The dilapidated Troy was captured by the Phrygians.
Troy VIII (900-350 BC): At this time, the city was inhabited by the Alean Greeks. King Xerxes then visited Troy and sacrificed more than 1,000 heads of cattle here.
Troy IX (350 BC - 400 AD): Quite a major center of the Hellenistic era.

Where is. How to get to Troy
Troy is located 2 km from the Canakkale-Izmir highway (D550/E87), from which you need to turn off at the Troy or Truva sign.
The nearest city to Troya, Canakkale, is located 30 km north of it. From there, buses run every hour to Troy, departing from a stop under the bridge over the Sari River. The bus ride will take about half an hour. A taxi ride will cost 60-70 TRY. Prices on the page are for January 2017.
Buses leave regularly during the summer, but otherwise it's best to arrive early so you don't miss the last bus back.

Troy Hotels
Most of the hotels are located in Canakkale, so tourists most often stay there and come to Troy for one day. In Troy itself, you can stay at the Varol Pansiyon, located in the center of the neighboring village of Tevfikiye.
Opposite the entrance to Troy is the Hisarlik Hotel, owned by local guide Mustafa Askin.

Restaurants
There are not many restaurants in Troy either. The Hisarlik Hotel mentioned above has a cozy restaurant with home cooking, open from 8:00 to 23:00. If you opt for it, be sure to try guvec - meat stew in a pot.
In addition, you can dine in the Priamos or Wilusa eateries also located in the village. Both restaurants serve Turkish cuisine, while the latter is well known for its meatballs and tomato salad.

Entertainment and attractions of Troy
Near the entrance to the city there is a wooden copy of the Trojan horse, inside of which there is an opportunity to go. But it is better to do it on weekdays, because on weekends it is filled with tourists and it will be quite difficult to climb or look around inside. But, when visiting Troy in winter, it is quite possible to get a horse for sole use.
Next to it is the Museum of Excavations, which exhibits models and photographs that tell how the city looked like in different periods. Opposite the museum is the Pithos garden with water tubes and earthenware pots from that time.
But the main attraction of Troy, of course, are the ruins. For visitors, the city is open daily from 8:00 to 19:00 from May to September and from 8:00 to 17:00 from October to April.

Having a guide would be of great help in getting to know Troy, as the ruins of many buildings are quite difficult to identify on their own, and due to different historical layers, they are all mixed up.
Troy was destroyed and rebuilt 9 times - and from each of the restorations in the city, something remains to this day, although amateur excavations in the 19th century. turned out to be extremely destructive.
To see the city, it is most convenient to use the road that surrounds it in a circle. To the right of the entrance you can see the walls and tower of the period of Troy VII (that is, the city as it became after it was rebuilt 7 times), belonging to the period when the city most closely matched the descriptions of Homer in the Iliad. There you can go down the stairs and walk along the walls.

Then the road will lead to brick walls, partially restored, and partially preserved in their original form. Above them is the ruined altar of the temple of Athena, along which the walls of the early and middle periods run, and opposite - the houses of the rich inhabitants of the city.
Further, the path passes by the trenches left from the excavations of Schliemann, to the palace complex, also belonging to the period most likely described in the Iliad. To the right of the palace are parts of the sanctuary of the ancient gods.
Finally, the path leads to the Odeon Concert Hall and the city council chambers, from where you can return along the stone road to the place where the tour started.

Around Troy
30 km south of ancient Troy is the no less ancient Alexandria of Troy - a city founded by the commander of Alexander the Great Antigonus in 300 BC. e. However, this vast archaeological site, unlike the popular Troy, is almost unmarked. Accordingly, it is hardly possible to figure it out on your own, without deep knowledge of ancient history.

Noteworthy are the outskirts of the village of Gulpinar, where the picturesque ruins of the temple of Apollo, which was built in the 5th century BC, are located. BC e. colonists from Crete. The westernmost point of Asia - Cape Baba - is interesting for its fishing port Babakalekoy (Babakale, Babakale, "Baba Fortress"), where there is a charming Ottoman castle of the 18th century. Here you can also refresh yourself by swimming either right among the boulders framing the harbor on both sides, or by driving another 3 km to the north to a nice equipped beach.

Another highlight of these places is the town of Ayvacik, 30 km east of Troy. At the end of the week, merchants from all over the country flock to the local market, the best souvenir from here is a colorful carpet. If you are lucky enough to get to Ayvadzhik at the end of April, you can catch the traditional annual gathering of the nomadic peoples Paniyr. At this time, bright dance and musical performances, noisy bazaars, where thoroughbred horses are exhibited, are arranged around the city. In addition, 25 km to the south lies the ancient Assos, the name of which caresses the ears of more than one admirer of antiquity.

LEGEND ABOUT THE TROJAN HORSE
The war between the Trojans and the Danaans began because the Trojan prince Paris stole the beautiful Helen from Menelaus. Her husband, the king of Sparta, with his brother gathered the army of Achaea and went to Paris. During the war with Troy, the Achaeans, after a long and unsuccessful siege, resorted to a trick: they built a huge wooden horse, left it at the walls of Troy, and pretended to swim away from the coast of Troy (the invention of this trick is attributed to Odysseus, the most cunning of the leaders of the Danaans , and Epey made the horse). The horse was an offering to the goddess Athena of Ilion. On the side of the horse was written "This gift is brought to Athena the Warrior by the departing Danaans." To build the horse, the Hellenes cut down the dogwood trees (kranei) that grew in the sacred grove of Apollo, appeased Apollo with sacrifices and gave him the name Karney (for the horse was made of maple).
The priest Laocoönt, seeing this horse and knowing the tricks of the Danaans, exclaimed: “Whatever it is, beware of the Danaans, even those who bring gifts!” (Quidquid id est, timeo Danaos et dona ferentes!) and threw a spear at the horse. However, at that moment, 2 huge snakes crawled out of the sea, killed Laocoont and his two sons, since the god Poseidon himself wanted the death of Troy. The Trojans, not listening to the warnings of Laocoönt and the prophetess Cassandra, dragged the horse into the city. Virgil's half-line "Fear the Danaans, even those who bring gifts", often quoted in Latin ("Timeo Danaos et dona ferentes"), has become a proverb. From here arose the phraseological unit “Trojan horse”, used in the meaning: a secret, insidious plan, disguised as a gift.

Inside the horse sat 50 of the best warriors (according to the Little Iliad, 3000). According to Stesichorus, 100 warriors, according to others - 20, according to Tsetsu - 23, or only 9 warriors: Menelaus, Odysseus, Diomedes, Thesander, Sthenelus, Acamant, Foant, Machaon and Neoptolem. The names of all were listed by the poet Sakad of Argos. Athena gave the heroes ambrosia.
At night, the Greeks, who were hiding inside the horse, got out of it, killed the guards, opened the city gates, let in their comrades who returned on ships, and thus captured Troy (Homer's Odyssey, 8, 493 et ​​seq.; Virgil's Aeneid, 2, 15 and sl.).


Interpretations
According to Polybius, "almost all barbarian peoples, in any case, most of them kill and sacrifice a horse either at the very beginning of the war, or before a decisive battle, in order to open a sign of the near future in the fall of the animal.

According to the euhemeristic interpretation, in order to drag him in, the Trojans dismantled part of the wall, and the Hellenes took the city. According to the assumptions of some historians (already met with Pausanias), the Trojan horse was actually a wall-beating machine, it served to destroy walls. According to Dareth, a horse's head was simply carved on the Skean Gate.
There were the tragedy of Jophon "The Destruction of Ilion", the tragedy of an unknown author "Departure", the tragedy of Livy Andronicus and Nevius "The Trojan Horse", as well as the poem of Nero "The Collapse of Troy".

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SOURCE OF INFORMATION AND PHOTO:
Team Nomads
Ivik O. Troy. Five thousand years of reality and myth. M., 2017.
Gindin L. A. Population of Homer's Troy, 1993.
Gindin L. A., Tsymbursky V. L. Homer and the history of the Eastern Mediterranean. M., 1996.
Blegen K. Troy and the Trojans. M., 2002.
Schliemann G. Ilion. City and country of the Trojans. M., 2009, vol. I-II.
Schliemann G. Troy. M., 2010.
Treasures of Troy. From the excavations of Heinrich Schliemann. M., 2007.
History of the Ancient East, part 2. M., 1988.
Virkhov R. The ruins of Troy // Historical Bulletin, 1880. - T. 1. - No. 2. - S. 415-430.
Stone Irving, Greek Treasure. Biographical novel about Heinrich and Sophia Schliemann, 1975
Vocabulary geographical names foreign countries / otv. ed. A. M. Komkov. - 3rd ed., revised. and additional - M .: Nedra, 1986. - S. 350.
Landmarks of Turkey.
Frolova N. Ephesus and Troy. - LitRes, 2013. - ISBN 9785457217829.

Countless civilizations and great states have disappeared forever. One of the best 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 story 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 Tevkry.

On the square where Troy was located, the rivers Scamander and Simois flowed on both sides. There was an unimpeded way to the Aegean Sea.

Consequently, Troy during its existence was famous for winning geographic location not only in the economic field, but also in terms of defense in the event of an attack by enemies. For many centuries, ancient Troy was a significant trading center between East and West, constantly subjected 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 was the reason for the unleashing of a war that lasted for a long 10 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.

The inhabitants 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. In the future, 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 B.C. 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 in the place of Troy?

Modern Troy is not at all like the place described by Homer. For a long time, the coastline moved little by little, 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 excellent appearance. Of particular interest in the place where Troy once was is a copy of the same wooden statue of a horse. Anyone can enter inside, trying on the role of a Greek warrior.

On the territory of the excavations there is a museum where you can study photographs, samples and things that allow you to thoroughly familiarize yourself with the stage of the excavations of Troy. Tourists can go to the temple of Pallas Athena, walk inside the sanctuary of the gods and the Odeon concert hall.

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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 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, 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 from the time of 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 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 of archaeological excavations, several ancient cities were discovered, each of which was called 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. The city is inhabited by Greeks, it is visited by the famous Greek king Xerxes, Troy is getting enough major center 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.