Troy. Story

“The Discovery of Troy In the public consciousness, the discovery of the legendary city is associated with the name of the archaeologist-enthusiast Heinrich Schliemann. He was able, contrary to the opinion of skeptics, to prove the historicity of Homer’s Iliad.”

Although in modern times stories about Trojan War considered legends, scientists and amateurs tried to find the legendary city. In the 16th and 17th centuries Troad visited by two explorers and travelers - Pierre Belon And Pietro della Valle. Each of them concluded that the legendary Troy is the ruins of the city of Alexandria of Troy, which were located 20 kilometers from Hisarlik.

At the end of the 18th century, another traveler and archaeologist Jean-Baptiste Lechevalier visited these places and wrote the work “Notes on a Journey to Troas.” Lechevalier argued that the ancient city was located near the town of Pinarbazi, five kilometers from Hisarlik. For a long time this theory was dominant.

In 1822, a Scottish journalist Charles McLaren published the work “Dissertation on the Topography of the Trojan Plain” in Edinburgh. A hundred years later, Karl Blegen wrote that this work would have deserved more attention than it received. McLaren collected all the information from the Iliad that had topographical significance and compared it with maps of his time. Then the Scot tried to restore the appearance of the landscape as it was in ancient times. Some English scholars and several German Homer scholars agreed with McLaren's conclusions.
Charles McLaren was the first to suggest that the legendary city was located on the Hissarlik hill. The basis of his conclusion was the assumption that the city of Homer was located in the same place as the Greek city of the Classical and Hellenistic eras.

The last of Schliemann's predecessors was Frank Calvert, Englishman, British Consul in Turkey. He was an amateur archaeologist and all his life he was fascinated by the history of Troy. Frank, like Schliemann, believed that Troy was a real city, despite the skepticism of many contemporaries.
Frank's brother acquired a small plot of land in Troad, part of which covered the territory of Hisarlik Hill. Calvert carried out excavations on “his” part of the hill, but they yielded modest results. Later, it was Frank Calvert who shared his thoughts with Heinrich Schliemann, who decided to conduct his own research on the hill.

In the 1860s Heinrich Schliemann had already explored Ithaca, where he discovered, as it seemed to him, monuments associated with the names of Laertes and Odysseus. In 1868, the archaeologist decided to conduct excavations in Turkey. It took Schliemann and his friends in Constantinople three years to obtain permission from the Turkish government to excavate. Firman (permission) was awarded to Schliemann with the condition that half of the finds be transferred to a Turkish museum.

October 11, 1871 Heinrich Schliemann with his wife Sofia and several workers arrived at Hisarlik Hill and immediately began excavations. The workers were Asia Minor Greeks from the surrounding villages, sometimes joined by Turks.

Schliemann carried out excavations on the hill until June 1873. During this time, the archaeologist was able to excavate seven archaeological layers of the city. He himself believed that Troy Priam- This is the Troy-II layer. Towards the end of the excavations, Schliemann discovered a large treasure trove of gold objects, which he called "Priam's treasure". After leaving Turkey, Schliemann continued researching the monuments in Orkhomenes and Mycenae, and published the work “Troy and Its Ruins.”

In 1878, Heinrich returned to Troad and continued excavations. After them, he returned twice more for excavations to the Hissarlik Hill, and now he was accompanied by professional archaeologists. In 1882 he joined Schliemann in Troy Wilhelm Dörpfeld, Second Secretary of the German Archaeological Institute in Athens.

Schliemann died in 1890, and Dörpfeld continued the excavations. The archaeologist discovered the fortifications of Troy VI in 1893-1894. The German archaeologist considered them the city of Priam.

For forty years after Dörpfeld's work, excavations ceased. From 1932 to 1938, the Hissarlik hill was explored by an archaeologist Karl Blegen, director of the University of Cincinnati. The American proved that there were nine settlements in this place, replacing one after another. He divided these nine levels of Troy into 46 more sublevels.

The next stage of research into the archaeological site was associated with an expedition Manfred Korfman. His excavations clarified the data of his predecessors and made it possible to create a modern chronology of Troy.

Early Bronze Age (Troy-I – Troy-V)

The first five archaeological layers of the settlement show the continuous history of the city, which lasted until the 17th century. BC.
Troy-I existed for about 400 years from 300 to 2600. BC. It had common features with the culture of central Anatolia, but was quite independent. The city had external connections with the islands and the north of the Balkans.

Troy II arose on the ruins of the previous city. Presumably Troy I died from a strong fire. This settlement was the successor to the previous one in terms of culture. The city had a mighty fortress wall with a diameter of about 110 meters. The fortification was a citadel from where its lords exercised authority over the territory of Troas.

The standard of living of the Trojans became higher: the houses became more spacious and more comfortable. The fortress housed a majestic megaron. The Trojans of this time were engaged in agriculture and cattle breeding. Archaeologists have found many terracotta whorls. Weaving also developed. Trade contacts with the Cyclades archipelago continued to develop. The Trojans supplied their neighbors with grain and ceramics.

Troy-II again destroyed by fire, but the settlement was soon occupied by the same people around 2250 BC. The ceramics of the third city were practically no different from the ceramics of the previous era. The reasons that destroyed Troy-III unclear. It seems that there was no fire that destroyed the entire settlement, but the houses were destroyed.

Troy-IV existed in the period 2100 - 1950 BC. The territory of this city occupied about 17 thousand kilometers. The new settlement had strong fortifications. The houses of this Troy were built close to one another, forming complexes that were separated by narrow streets. Ceramics from this time continue the traditions of past settlement eras. But the number of products created using the pottery wheel has increased.

Period Troy-V began with the remodeling of the entire settlement. Residents built a new wall for protection. The city existed until the 18th century BC. The reason for its destruction is unclear. Again, no traces of the disastrous fire remained. But the city builders Troy-VI created a completely different city, which did not take into account the location of the predecessor buildings. The city of Troy VI is believed to have perished around 1300 BC. as a result of an earthquake. It was replaced by a settlement Troy-VII. It had four periods of existence until the middle of the 10th century BC.

King Alaxandus and the Hittites

During Troy-VII the inhabitants of this city were in close contact with neighboring states - the Hittite power, the kingdoms of Asia Minor and the Greeks of Akhhiyawa. It is believed that the Hittites knew Troy under the name Wilusa State.

In the 17th century BC. The Hittite king Labarna subjugated Arzawa and Wilusa. The latter became independent after a certain period of time, but maintained neutral relations with Hittite kingdom. In the 14th century BC. the state of Wilusa came to the attention of the rulers of the Hittite state.

Ally of the Hatti kings of the 14th century. BC. Suppiluliuma I and Mursilisa was the king of Wilusa Kukunnis. It is known that he helped Mursilis during his campaign against Arzawa.

Kukunnis, under the changed name "Kyknos", entered the cycle of legends about the Trojan War. Legends made him a representative of a side branch of the royal house, which ruled one of the cities of Troas. He was the first to meet the landing Greeks and died by hand Achilles.
At the end of the 14th century BC. The king of Wilusa was the son of Kukunnis, Alaxandus. His reign is known thanks to the treaty of Alaxandus with the Hatti king Muwattalis.

The treaty states that Kukunnis adopted Alaxandus and made him heir. The population of Wilusa grumbled against the new king. They said that the people of the country would not accept the son of Alaxandus as the new sovereign. There is also talk about the “children of the king” who laid claim to the throne that went to Alaxandus.

Muwattalis promised the ruler of Wilusa and his heirs protection. In exchange, Alaxandus became a dependent king. He was supposed to inform the overlord about possible rebellions in the west of Asia Minor. In the event of a war between Hatti and the states of Asia Minor, Alaxandus had to personally come to the rescue with his army. For wars with Mitanni, Egypt or Assyria, the king of Wilusa had to send his troops.

According to one point, Alaxandus was obliged to fight against an enemy who might invade the country of Hatti through Wilusa. This enemy is assumed to be the Achaean Greeks, who at that time were trying to gain a foothold in Asia Minor.

Soon after the subjugation of the kingdoms of Asia Minor to the Hittite power, the famous Battle of Kadesh in Syria. The Egyptian text dedicated to this battle lists the detachments of the Hittite army. Among others, the Drdnj people are mentioned there (the supposed decoding is Dar-d-an-ja). These people are identified with the Dardans, who lived within the boundaries of Wilusa.

The Hittite monarchs' reign over Wilusa did not last long. Already a letter from the king of the Hittites to the king of Ahkhiyava, dating from the turn of the 14th – 13th centuries BC. shows a changed situation. It follows from the document that a conflict occurred between Hatti and Ahhiyawa, as a result of which the Hittites lost control over Wilusa, and the Achaeans strengthened their influence in this country.

In the 13th century BC. The country of Hatti was ruled by the warlike Tudhalias IV. He fought with a coalition of small Asia Minor states, united in Hittite documents under the common name Assuwa. Among them was Wilusa. Tudhalias IV was victorious and Wilusa again became a dependent state.

From the letter of the Hittite king to the ruler of Milavanda it follows that Tudhalias made his protege Valma the ruler of Wilusa. For some reason he fled, and the king of Hatti was going to restore him to power. Probably, the expulsion of Valmu happened before Assuwa’s speech against the Hittites, and the restoration after the victory of Tudhalias, when “the gods gave him” these lands.

Troy VII and the Legend of the Trojan War

Already in Antiquity, different dates for the Trojan War were expressed. Duris of Samos dates it to 1334 BC, Eratosthenes - 1183, Ephoros - 1136. Herodotus wrote that it was 800 years before he began work on the History, that is, in the last third of the 13th century BC.

The city of Troy VII died at the turn of the 13th and 12th centuries BC. There are different points of view on the time of his fall. L.A. Gindin and V.L. Tsymbursky attribute the fall of the city to 1230-1220 BC. This was the beginning of the so-called campaign period. "Sea Peoples"

The campaign of the Greek states against Troy was often associated with the era of prosperity Mycenaean civilization. According to the reconstruction of the researchers, the campaign took place after the beginning of the decline of the Mycenaean civilization. Greece suffered one invasion from the north, which led to the destruction of parts of the palace centers. The danger of new attacks from the north pushed the Achaeans to overseas enterprises. The flourishing of Rhodes due to settlers also dates back to this time.

Speaking about the population of Troy in period VII, the deep connections of its population with the Thracians are noted. The top of the city in this era probably adopted the culture of Mycenaean Greece, which is confirmed by the name Alaxandus, consonant with “Alexander”.

The forms of the pottery of Troy VII-a were reminiscent of the pottery of the Northern Balkans, inhabited by Thracian tribes. The Teucrians (inhabitants of Priam's Troy) were presumably dominated by early Thracian elements.

After the destruction of Troy by the Achaeans, the city was reborn. Now it was a sparsely populated settlement, which is identified with the layer Troy VII-b I. The surviving Teucrians themselves, for the most part, did not remain in their previous places, but joined the campaigns of the Sea Peoples. These campaigns destroyed the Hittite kingdom and a number of small states in Asia Minor, and were also a threat to Egypt.

The depopulation of the Troas made it possible for the Thracians to move here, who repopulated Troy. The period is associated with settlers Troy VII-b II. But, taking into account previous contacts, the inhabitants of the city and the Thracians, their settlement of this place was peaceful.

Troy after the Trojans: another Greek city

Around 950 BC the settlement on Hisarlik ceased to exist. During the Archaic era (VIII-VI centuries BC), life resumed on the hill. In 480 BC. Xerxes At the beginning of the campaign against Greece I visited this place. The king examined the ancient acropolis and sacrificed one hundred bulls to Athena of Ilium. Its magicians poured libations in honor of the heroes who died here. In 411 BC. The Spartan navarch Mindar visited this place and made sacrifices to Athena of Ilium.

Ilium had almost no political significance and was controlled by more influential neighbors. In 360 BC. the city was captured by the mercenary adventurer Charidemus of Oreos, and again the horse played a fatal role in the fall of the city.

Haridemus persuaded a slave of one of the influential citizens to help them get into the city. This slave went outside the walls for prey and returned at night. The mercenary persuaded him to return at night on horseback. The guards opened the gates for him, and a group of mercenaries burst into Ilion. The story of this event was preserved by Charidemus’ contemporary Aeneas Tacticus. He was interested in military stratagems, so he did not write anything about the fate of the settlement after its capture by Charidemus. Probably the mercenary commander began to rule here as a tyrant - a typical case for the 4th century BC.

In 334 BC. visited the ruins of Troy Alexander the Great. As they write in the works about his campaign, he made sacrifices here in honor of the ancient heroes. At the end of his life, the ruler decided to build a new temple here. These works were completed during the reigns of his diadochi: Antigonus, Lysimachus and Seleucus.

Epigraphic sources report that during the years of the existence of the state of Antigonus One-Eyed, one of the Greek intercity associations in his lands was Ilion Union. The founding date of this interpolicy association is unknown. Both Alexander and Antigone are called the founder of the Ilion League.

The messages of the union to Antigonus are known. The Ilium League had a Sanhedrin (council of allied cities), whose representatives met on the territory of the sacred site of Athena of Ilium. Among other members of this association, two cities are known - Gargara and Lampsak.
For modern science, the relationship between the Aeolian and Ilion unions that existed during the time of Antigonus remains a mystery. It is assumed that these could be different names for the same interpolicy association. It is known that Troas was part of the Aeolis region.
Presumably, Antigonus formed two unions from the cities of Asia Minor - the Aeolian and the Ionian. The center of the Ionian League was in the ancient sanctuary of Panionium, the center of the Aeolian League was in the temple of Athena of Ilium.

Troy again became a significant city: temples, bouleuterium (meeting place of the city council), and theaters appeared there. At the same time, the ancient burial mounds were restored. The revived city had about 8 thousand inhabitants.

Around 250 BC The walls of Troy were restored. The city was visited by famous people of that time: the king of Syria Antiochus III, the Roman senator Marcus Livius Salinator, the commander Lucius Cornelius Scipio.

In 85 BC. the city was destroyed again. The first war was coming to an end this year. Rome with Mithridates VI. In Greece and Asia Minor it was led independently by two generals: Sulla and the protege of his enemies, Fimbria. The latter crossed over to Asia Minor and began to punish the Greek cities that had previously gone over to the side of the Pontic king.

Among others, Fimbria besieged Ilium. The inhabitants of the city sent for help to Sulla. He promised them help and told them to tell Fimbria that the Ilioneans had already surrendered to Sulla. Fimbria convinced the people of Ilium to let him in as proof of his surrender.

Entering the city, the Roman commander carried out a massacre and subjected the ambassadors to his enemy Sulla to a particularly cruel execution. Fimbria ordered the temple of Athena of Ilium to be set on fire, where many residents fled. The next day, the Roman examined the city, making sure that not a single intact altar remained there.

The destruction of Ilion by Fimbria made an impression on contemporaries, because the Romans considered themselves to come from ancient Troy. The destruction of the city was compared with that carried out by Agamemnon, and the time that separated the destruction of the cities was calculated. Appian of Alexandria, citing other authors, wrote that the destruction of the city by Fimbria occurred 1050 years after the end of the Trojan War.

After defeating his rival, Sulla helped rebuild the city as a reward for his loyalty to him. The Ilioneans responded by introducing a new calendar, where counting began from 85 BC. The following years were difficult for Ilion. Five years after Fimbria, the city suffered from an attack by pirates.

When did the third war begin? Kingdom of Pontus, Ilion remained faithful to the alliance with Rome. Plutarch relates the legend that when a storm destroyed the Pontic siege engines at Cyzicus, many Ilionians saw Athena in a dream. The goddess was in a torn robe and said that she came from Cyzicus, where she fought for its inhabitants. After this, the Ilionians helped the Roman commander Lucullus, who fought against the Pontic people in Troas.

At the end of the war, the Roman general Pompey, who ended the war, arrived in Ilion. He was hailed as a benefactor of the city and patron of the Temple of Athena of Ilium. After fifteen years of good deeds, Ilion was also shown Julius Caesar. He emphasized the city's loyalty to Rome during the war with Mithridates.

In 42 BC. After the victory over the assassins of Caesar, Octavian and Antony settled the veterans of the sixteenth legion in Ilion. 22 years later, Emperor Augustus visited this city again. Descent from the Trojan hero Aeneas played an important role in his propaganda. On his orders, repair work was carried out in Ilion. On the site of the former bouleuterium, by order of the princeps, an odeon (a building for musical performances) was erected.

During his visit to Ilion, Augustus lived in the house of a wealthy citizen, Melanippus, son of Euthydippus. Eight years later, when the theater was completed, Melanippus erected a statue of the emperor there.

In the era Roman Empire Ilion lived at the expense of travelers who were interested in ancient history. Another component of its economy was the mining and export of stone. In 124 AD. Ilion was visited by the famous philhellenic emperor Hadrian. He ordered a new reconstruction of the city.

After the visit Adriana Ilion began to flourish as a Roman city: baths, a fountain, and an aqueduct were built there. New renovations to the odeon were made by order of Emperor Caracalla, who visited Ilion in 214 AD.

In 267 AD. Asia Minor The Goths devastated it, and Ilion was again destroyed. But the city continued to exist in the 4th century. Constantine the Great even considered it as a possible capital of the empire until he chose Byzantium. By 500 AD, Ilion ceased to exist.

Many powerful states and civilizations have sunk into oblivion. One of the prime examples of this is the ancient city of Troy, which is also known as Ilion. This legendary settlement is familiar to many people from the war of the same name. Homer's poem The Iliad details the epic confrontation between the inhabitants of Troy and the ancient Greeks. This famous city has always excited the minds of various scientists, from historians to archaeologists. During excavations in the 19th century, the legendary Troy was discovered on the territory of modern Turkey. Why did this ancient city deserve such close attention from contemporaries? There is an extremely interesting legend of its origin, existence and fall. Where was Troy? And what can be found in its place now? Read about all this in the article.

The ancient world and the date of the formation of Troy

Before the appearance of the legendary Troy, the oldest permanent settlement of Kumtepe was located on the Troas peninsula. Its founding date is generally considered to be approximately 4800 BC. The inhabitants of the ancient settlement were mainly engaged in fishing. The settlers' diet also included oysters. In Kumtepe, the dead were interred, but without any funeral gifts.

The settlement was abandoned around 4500 BC, but was revived again around 3700 BC 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. The fortified settlement was located in Asia Minor on the Troad Peninsula. The city was in fertile hilly country. In the place where Troy was located, the Simois and Scamander rivers flowed from 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 by enemies. It is no coincidence that the city in the Ancient World, in the Bronze Age, 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 ancient legend. Long before the construction of Troy, the Teucrian people lived on the territory of the Troas peninsula (the place where Troy was located). The character of ancient Greek mythology Tros called the country he ruled Troy. Consequently, all residents began to be called Trojans.

One legend tells about the emergence of the city of Troy. Tros's eldest son was Il, who after his father's death inherited part of his kingdom. One day he came to Phrygia, having successfully defeated all his rivals in a competition. The Phrygian king generously rewarded Ila, 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 wanted to rest. On Ata Hill the animal began to want to lie down. It was there that Troy was founded, which was also called Ilion.

Before building the city, Ilus 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 guarantee of divine help, a stronghold and protection for the inhabitants 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. Ila's son, King Laomedont, continued his father's work, fortifying the lower part of the city with a wall.

Defensive structures of Troy

According to ancient Greek myths, the gods of Olympus themselves participated in the construction of the walls of the legendary city. One day Zeus sent Poseidon and Apollo to Troy to serve with Laomedon for a whole year. Both gods built a strong wall around Troy from large blocks of stone. Moreover, if Poseidon dug up stones from the bowels of the earth and brought them to the city, then to the sounds of Apollo’s lyre the construction of the stronghold was carried out by itself. Troy would not have been afraid of any external threat if the gods had not been helped by the man Eak. It was the part of the wall that the mortal was building that turned out to be vulnerable.

The deceived Hercules decided to get even with the king of Troy. On 18 ships, together with heroes and troops, he set out to take the impregnable city and take revenge on the treacherous Laomedon. Telamon, son of Eak, played an important role in the campaign. He was the first to enter the city wall in the exact place where his father worked. Troy was taken, and the treacherous king was killed by the arrow of Hercules. The young Priam, the son of Laomedon, began to restore the former power of the legendary city. Under the rule of the new ruler, Troy flourished again and became as powerful as before. However, in old age, Priam lived out his days in great sorrow.

Trojan War

The famous ten-year confrontation forever glorified the ancient city. Around the 8th century BC, several poems were composed about the legendary war. Only Homer's "Odyssey" and "Iliad" have survived to us. They describe the events that occurred in the 9th year of the confrontation between the inhabitants of besieged Troy and the Greeks, as well as the fall of the city.

The wife of the Spartan king, by the will of the goddess of love Aphrodite, fell in love with Paris. The Greeks perceived Helen's voluntary departure with Priam's son as a kidnapping. The Spartan king Menelaus and his brother gathered a huge army, after which they set off on their ships to conquer Troy.

For almost 10 years, the Greeks tried unsuccessfully to break the resistance of the impregnable city. And only Odysseus’s cunning plan made it possible to capture Troy. The story contains information that the Greeks built a large wooden horse and left it to the Trojans as a gift, while they themselves boarded ships and allegedly sailed home. In fact, there was a group of the best warriors hidden inside the statue. At night, during the rejoicing of the Trojans, they got out of their horse and opened the gates to their comrades. As a result, the Greeks won thanks to cunning, and the city itself was destroyed and burned. Thus, the famous expression “Trojan horse” appeared.

The final fall of Troy

From 350 BC until 900 BC, the legendary city was under Greek rule. Subsequently, it passed from hand to hand to various rulers. First, the Persians captured Troy during the war with the Greeks, and later the city already belonged to Alexander the Great.

When the Roman Empire took possession of Troy, the city was reborn again. The Romans were very proud of their descent from Aeneas and his companions. In 190 BC, Troy was generally freed from any taxes and was expanded.

In 400 AD, Troy was captured by the Turks and finally destroyed. In the 6th century AD, the last human settlements disappeared in the place where the legendary city had once been exalted. The years of Troy's existence begin around 3000 BC and end around 400 AD.

Excavations of the ancient city

For many centuries, the existence of the legendary city has been questioned. Most people were very skeptical about Troy itself. Thanks to the poem “The Iliad,” most scientists were inclined to believe that the ruins of an ancient city could be discovered somewhere in the region of northwestern Asia Minor, that is, in the location of modern Turkey.

Now many people know on the territory of which modern state Troy was located. Thanks to Heinrich Schliemann, the ruins of an ancient city were discovered in Turkey, 30 km from the village of Canakkale, near the village of Tevfikiye.

Heinrich Schliemann, after receiving permission from the Ottoman authorities in 1870, began excavating Troy in the northwestern part of the Hissarlik hill. The self-taught archaeologist achieved success on May 31, 1873, by discovering the treasure. Heinrich Schliemann quickly called his find “Priam’s Treasure.”

Contrary to the agreement concluded with the Ottoman authorities, according to which it was necessary to transfer half of everything found to the Archaeological Museum in Istanbul, Schliemann smuggled the treasures to Greece. After unsuccessful attempts to sell the find to the largest museums around the world, the archaeologist donated them to Berlin. Subsequently, Heinrich Schliemann became an honorary citizen of this city. After the end of World War II, the found Trojan treasures began to be stored in Moscow at the Pushkin Museum. A. S. Pushkin.

What is located on the site of Troy?

Let's find out what is in the place of Troy now. In our time, modern Troy is significantly different from the place that Homer described in his poems. Over the course of many centuries, the coastline gradually moved away, resulting in the excavated city being located on a completely dry hill.

Every year, the museum city is visited by many tourists from all over the world from May to September. The ruins of Troy from different historical times have a magnificent appearance. If you want to get acquainted with all the exhibits in detail, it is recommended to hire a guide.

The most popular among tourists at the site where Troy was located is a wooden copy of the famous horse. Each person has the opportunity to find himself inside a large statue, feeling for a while in the role of a cunning Greek hero. You can also be one of these lucky ones who will have an unforgettable experience. But you need to choose the time for your trip, taking into account special factors. Indeed, on some days there are so many people at the place where Troy was located around the Trojan horse that most do not manage to get even closer than 100 meters to it.

The Museum of Excavations is no less popular in the ancient city. Its visitors have the opportunity to view a bunch of photographs, models and other exhibits that will allow them to become familiar with the process of discovering Troy. Also, during the excursion, curious tourists can look into the huge temple of Pallas Athena, visit the gloomy sanctuary of the ancient Greek gods and appreciate the Odeon concert hall.

Other attractions of Turkey near Troy

To the south of the ancient city of Troy you can find the ruins of Alexandria of Troas. This ancient city was founded in the 4th century BC by the ancient Greeks. During its existence it passed into the hands of the Romans. Subsequently, the city received its final name in honor of Alexander the Great.

It is worth noting that Alexandria of Troas is mentioned in the New Testament. According to the Holy Scriptures, in this city the Lord commanded the Apostle Paul to go preach in the land of Macedonia. Nowadays, the ruins of the city are called Eski Istanbul.

Near Alexandria of Troas, on a hill surrounded by dilapidated walls, is the ancient city of Ass or Behramkale. During the life of the great thinkers Plato and Aristotle, a famous philosophical school functioned here, where many minds of those times visited. Among the attractions of Ass are the Murad Mosque, many tombs and caravanserais, which have been transformed into hotels for tourists.

How to get to Troy on your own

Visiting the place where Troy was located is like touching a legend. It is no coincidence that many tourists every year decide to see the amazing sights of the famous Troy in Turkey.

The easiest way to get to the legendary city is from Canakkale, which is located 30 km from Troy. Every hour, a regular intercity bus leaves from this Turkish administrative center. About half an hour's journey separates each tourist from the famous historical site. It is also possible to get to Troy from Istanbul, Bursa or Izmir thanks to minibuses.

Visiting the legendary city is not financially expensive. A tourist should spend virtually nothing more than an entrance ticket and travel.

Movie "Troy"

In 2004, a filmed story about the legendary city was published. The historical drama was based on the poem "The Iliad". The main roles in the film went to such Hollywood stars as Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, Orlando Bloom, Sean Bean, Brendan Gleeson and other famous personalities. Wolfgang Petersen was appointed director of the film, and David Benioff was responsible for the script.

In the 13th century BC, the Trojan prince Paris kidnapped Helen the Beautiful, which outraged the Greek rulers to the core. The Spartan king Menelaus gathered a huge army and set off on numerous ships to the shores of Troy.

During the fierce confrontation, both the Greeks and the Trojans had varying degrees of success. And only the cunning idea of ​​Odysseus made it possible to break the resistance of Troy. By rolling a large wooden horse into the city, the Trojans doomed themselves to death. At night, the Greeks dealt with the residents of Troy without any problems.

Thus, only ruins of the legendary city have survived to this day. A visit to modern Troy will allow everyone to touch the legend and visit inside a large wooden horse.

Troy (Ilion) is the famous ancient fortress city, which was glorified 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 of Troy

Before the emergence of Troy, there was an ancient Neolithic settlement of Kumtepe in its place; it was founded approximately 4.8 millennium BC. Kumtepe was mainly inhabited by fishermen who not only caught fish, but also traded it.

After existing 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, and was 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 Teucrians by historians.

The city flourished during the famous Mycenaean civilization. In addition to Homer's epic of Troy, it is mentioned in ancient cuneiform tablets of Taruisha, ancient Egyptian papyri from the time of Ramses III, in Mycenaean texts, etc.

Historians have not come to a consensus about the origins of the Trojans. They also still argue whether Troy is the name of the state or its capital. The information that has reached us from the depths of time is clearly not enough.

The legend of the founding of Troy

In accordance with ancient Greek mythology, Troy was founded by a certain young man Il. The Phrygian king generously rewarded him for winning the competition, gave him 100 slaves and a cow in addition, and ordered him to found a city where the cow wanted to rest.

The cow decided to lie down on Ata Hill. It was on this hill that the beginning of the legendary Troy or Ilion was laid. Zeus blessed the foundation of the city, promised to protect it and sent Ilu 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 the king of Troy and built a powerful wall of large stone blocks around the city.

For a long time, European scientists argued about where Troy was located. At the beginning of the 19th century, the English historian MacLaren suggested that the ancient city was located under the Hissarlik hill.

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 his contemporaries.

Today, Schliemann's archaeological finds are kept in the Pushkin Museum, the Hermitage and other museums around the world. Excavations continue at the site of Hisarlik Hill; the ruins of nine ancient fortresses from different eras have already been exposed.

Layers of the ancient city of Troy

As a result of archaeological excavations, 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 fortress-like settlement with simple clay walls and houses. Most likely it died in a fire. Ceramic items similar to those found in Bulgaria were discovered.

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 befell 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, fallen Troy was captured by the Phrygians.

5. Troy VIII-IX (900 – 350 BC)

At this time, the history of Troy and Ancient Greece is closely connected. Greeks live in the city, the famous Greek king Xerxes visits it, 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 6th 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 Luwian origin and spoke the Luwian language. All assumptions are based on ancient Greek legends.

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

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.

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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 Hotel, 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 aren't many restaurants in Troy either. The above-mentioned Hisarlik Hotel has a cozy restaurant with home cooking, open from 8:00 to 23:00. If you choose it, be sure to try guvec - meat stew in a pot.

In addition, you can dine at the Priamos or Wilusa eateries, also located in the village. Both restaurants serve Turkish cuisine, and 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, which you can go inside. But it is better to do this on weekdays, because on weekends it is filled with tourists and it will be quite difficult to climb up or look around inside. But, when visiting Troy in winter, it is quite possible to get a horse for your own use.

Next to it is the Museum of Excavations, which displays models and photographs telling what the city looked like in different periods. Opposite the museum is the Pithos garden with water pipes and clay pots from that time.

But the main attraction of Troy is undoubtedly the ruins. The city is open to visitors 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 have greatly helped in getting to know Troy, since the ruins of many buildings are quite difficult to identify on your own, and due to the different historical layers, they are all mixed up.

Troy was destroyed and rebuilt 9 times - and from each of the restorations something remains in the city to this day, although amateur excavations in the 19th century. turned out to be extremely destructive.

To explore the city, it is most convenient to use the road that encircles it in a circle. To the right of the entrance are visible walls and a tower from the period of Troy VII (that is, the city as it became after it was rebuilt 7 times), dating back 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, partly restored and partly preserved in their original form. Above them is the ruined altar of the Temple of Athena, along which are the walls of the early and middle periods, and opposite are the houses of the rich inhabitants of the city.

The path then passes by trenches left over from Schliemann's excavations to a palace complex, also dating from 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 along a stone road you can return to the place from which the inspection began.

Neighborhood of 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 unlikely that you will be able to figure it out yourself, without deep knowledge of ancient history.

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

Another highlight of these places is the town of Ayvacik, 30 km east of Troy. At the end of the week, traders from all over the outskirts 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 nomadic peoples Paniyir. At this time, vibrant dance and musical performances and noisy bazaars are held throughout the city, where thoroughbred horses are exhibited. In addition, 25 km to the south lies ancient Assos, the name of which pleases the ears of more than one admirer of antiquity.

It took the ancient Greek hero Odysseus 10 years to sail from Troy to Greece. She, this Troy, must be damn far away! At least that's what I always thought. And I was surprised once! My husband and I were traveling along the coast of Turkey, and suddenly we discovered that Troy - very close to Istanbul! That is, the homeland of Odysseus - the Greek island of Ithaca - is just a stone's throw away. Across the sea. And it took him 10 years. Miracles.

The Many Faces of Troy

First, let's define the concepts. Troy is an ancient city. It was once destroyed by the Greeks. The very first poem that has come down to us, “The Iliad,” was written about this. Homer wrote it. Even then it - this Troy - was destroyed. AND Now such a city does not exist. But we can see its ruins. So, in order not to get confused, you need to know that this city was called differently:

• Troy;
• Ilion(hence the name of Homer’s ancient poem “The Iliad”);
• Dardania;
• Scamander;
• Canakkale.

Now we have an idea of ​​where Troy was. We need to be grateful for this Heinrich Schliemann. True, he is not our compatriot (as someone said above), but a German.

About Schliemann is a completely different story. She always inspires me. He was not an archaeological scientist. He was a wealthy businessman and an upstart. In the world of science he was despised. But he was passionate about Ancient Greece and the history of the Trojan War. He poured all his energy into digging into the hills of the Greek and Ottoman coasts. Professional archaeologists laughed at him and looked down on him. And then one day this Schliemann, this passionate amateur... reallyfound the ruins of TroAnd!

Where Troy once stood

So, Troy was located on the territory of modern Turkey. This is the northwestern part of the country, strait coastDardanelles. The ruins are located north of Istanbul. By the way, there is a bus from here. The journey takes 5–6 hours.

Here, on the coast Asia Minor, and once flared up Trojan War. If you are coming from Istanbul, you should follow this route:

• Istanbul - Canakkale(regional center, from where you can move on);
• Canakkale - Tevfikiye(about 30 kilometers, this is a village next to the excavations);
• Tevfikiye - excavations.

So why did Odysseus swim for so long? Well, along the way, he lived for seven years with the beautiful nymph Calypso, then for another year with the sorceress Kirka, got stuck at a party for the wind god Aeolus, and took a walk out of interest into the kingdom of the dead. In general, the guy was in no hurry to go home. Otherwise I would have sailed in a couple of weeks.

In general, if you are going to Troy, do not be distracted from the indicated route. Otherwise you will get lost like Odysseus.