Trojan War

Golden Apple of Discord by Jacob Jordaens

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Musicians Troy Museum 9994

Trojan War

The Trojan War is a legendary conflict between the early Greeks and the people of Troy in western Anatolia, dated by later Greek authors to the 12th or 13th century BCE. The war is among the most important events in Greek mythology and has been narrated through many works of Greek literature, most notably Homer's Iliad. The Iliad relates a part of the last year of the siege of Troy; its sequel, the Odyssey, describes the journey home of Odysseus, one of the war's heroes. Other parts of the war are described in a cycle of epic poems, which have survived only in fragments. Episodes from the war provided material for Greek tragedy and other works of Greek literature, and for Roman poets like Virgil and Ovid.

Origins of the War

The origins of the war can be traced back to a quarrel among the goddesses Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite after Eris, the goddess of strife and discord, threw a golden apple marked "for the fairest" among them. The choice was given to Paris of Troy, who chose Aphrodite after she promised him the most beautiful woman in the world, Helen, who was already married to Menelaus of Sparta. The abduction (or elopement) of Helen by Paris brought about the war. The Greeks organized a great expedition and set sail for Troy to recover Helen, leading to a conflict that lasted ten years.

The Greek Forces

The Greek forces, also known as the Achaeans, were led by Agamemnon, king of Mycenae and brother of Menelaus. Other notable leaders included Achilles, Odysseus, Ajax the Great, and Nestor. The Greeks besieged Troy for ten years without success.

The Trojan Forces

The defenders of Troy, led by King Priam, included his sons Hector and Paris, and allies from many parts of Anatolia and beyond. The Trojans were renowned for their strong walls, said to have been built by Apollo and Poseidon.

Key Events

Some of the key events of the Trojan War include the duel between Paris and Menelaus, the exploits of Achilles (including his withdrawal from battle and eventual return), the death of Hector, and the use of the Trojan Horse, a cunning plan devised by Odysseus to bring Greek soldiers into Troy, leading to its fall.

Aftermath

The fall of Troy marked the end of the Trojan War, with the Greeks sacking the city and killing its men. The women, including Helen, were taken back to Greece. The war had profound repercussions for the Greek heroes, many of whom met tragic ends, and it left a lasting legacy in Greek culture and imagination.

Legacy

The Trojan War has been a source of fascination for centuries, inspiring countless works of art, literature, and scholarship. It raises themes of heroism, the wrath of gods, fate, and the destruction that comes from human passions. Archaeological excavations in the modern era at the site identified as ancient Troy have revealed several layers of ruins, suggesting a long history of settlements and possibly lending some historical basis to the legendary war.