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__NOTOC__[[File:608px-J_G_Trautmann_Das_brennende_Troja.jpg|thumbnail|left|The Burning of Troy by Johann Georg Trainman]]The foundation of Western literature can be traced back to the Ancient Greek epic. The Homeric works are known as ''The Iliad'' and ''The Odyssey'' are is among the most well -known literary works of literature in the western canon. They tell the story of the Trojan Warstory, a ten -year siege of a city called Troy by the Greeks. The Illiad tell the story of Iliad tells how a beautiful wife of King MeneleusMenelaus, called Helen, was kidnapped by the Trojan prince Paris. To bring Helen back and punish the Trojans for Paris’s crime, Meneleus Menelaus led a massive Troy invasion of Troy by Achean troops. For ten years , the Greeks laid siege to the city of Troy until finally it fell and was ransacked and destroyed. [[File:608px-J_G_Trautmann_Das_brennende_Troja.jpg|thumbnail|The Burning of Troy by Johann Georg Trainman]]Three thousand years later the German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann uncovered a site, known as Hisarlik, which many experts believe is the fabled city of Troy. The city was clearly destroyed sometime in the late Bronze Age. However, the question of whether or not that destruction was the work of a Greek army is unanswered. Archaeologists have long studied the site and still disagree on the likelihood that such an event took place. Sources are limited and experts are still divided over whether the story in the Illiad represents an actual war.

==Homer’s epics Three thousand years later, the German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann uncovered a site known as an historical source==Hisarlik, which many experts believe is Troy's fabled city. The primary source of information we have about Troy and city was clearly destroyed sometime in the Trojan War come from Homer’s IliadLate Bronze Age. Unfortunately However, whether or not that destruction was the Illiad is primarily a work of oral fiction that was passed down for generations before it was finally recorded in writinga Greek army is unanswered. This Archaeologists have long history as an oral document casts doubt studied the site and still disagree on accuracy of the story and the descriptions of events likelihood that take such an event took place in the book are dubious. Moreover, the Trojan War happened sometime in the 13th century BCE, a staggering five centuries before the date of the earliest known written copy of The Iliad. ThusSources are limited, The Iliad tells us more about society, war and culture in experts are still divided over whether the 9th century BCE than it does about the Bronze Age.<ref>Finley, M.I. et al.. “The Trojan War” Illiad''The Journal of Hellenic Studies 84'' (1964): 1–9. Web. 1 Dec, 2015, p. 9s story represents an actual war.</ref>

The Iliad is unquestionably one of the most important literature pieces of literature and has been compared to The Bible in its ability to influence on Western art, literature e, and morality. The Greeks, and many other ancient commentators , such as HerotodusHerodotus, absolutely believed that the Trojan War was an a historical event that took place in the “Golden Age” of their history. <ref>Bryce, Trevor R.. “The Trojan War: Is There Truth Behind the Legend?”''Near Eastern Archaeology 65.3'' (2002): 182–195. Web. 1 Dec. 2015, p.182</ref> Many modern archaeologists agree, believing that at the very least , there was some type of conflict between the Greeks and the Trojans in northwest Turkey at some time in the late Late Bronze Age. However, it is also true that the details have been heavily dramatized and the kidnapping of Helen was almost certainly not the cause of the war. Based on documents from other civilizations at that time, experts speculate that the cause was either political or “accidental”, which means that Troy was simply one city out of many that was the victim of Greek raids. <ref>Finley, 5-6.</ref>

==The modern day archaeological site==The best known candidate for Troy However, it is a site in northwest Turkey called Hisarlikalso true that the details have been heavily dramatized, discovered in 1970 by German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemannand the kidnapping of Helen was almost certainly not the cause of the war. There are nine levels of settlements Based on documents from other civilizations at Hisarlikthat time, and each level is divided into sublevels. Early archaeologists believed experts speculate that level VIIa the cause was either political or VIIb were “accidental,” which means that Troy was simply one city out of many that was the mythical Troy, but dating victim of pottery shards has ruled those levels outGreek raids. Today level VIh is the most likely candidate, as it appears to have been destroyed at some time in the late 13th century BCE <ref>BryceFinley, 1855-6.</ref>

Archaeologists know that VIh was destroyed in a violent fashion sometime during ==Where is the 13th century, but the nature potential site of its destruction Troy?==Troy's best-known candidate is not known. The a northwest Turkey site was not particularly impressivecalled Hisarlik, with a small citadel and only a few broken foundations that remain todaydiscovered in 1970 by German archaeologist Heinrich Schliemann. As such there is very little evidence There are nine levels of a large settlement settlements at Hisarlik, and each level is divided into sublevels. Early archaeologists speculate believed that this site could have been destroyed by a natural disaster, an invasion level VIIa or some other destructive event. <ref>BryceVIIb was the mythical Troy, 187-188but pottery shards' dating has ruled those levels out.</ref> Other levels of Today level VIh is the site are known most likely candidate, as it appears to have been destroyed by human violence, including VIIa, but most have ruled these levels out as likely candidates for at some time in the city of Troy from the Iliad.late 13th century BCE <ref>FinleyBryce, 1185.</ref>

Archaeologists know that VIh was destroyed violently sometime during the 13th century, but the nature of its destruction is not known. The site was not particularly impressive, with a small citadel and only a few broken foundations that remain today. As such, there is very little evidence of a large settlement, and archaeologists speculate that this site could have been destroyed by a natural disaster, an invasion of some other destructive event. <ref>Bryce, 187-188.</ref> Other levels of the site are known to have been destroyed by human violence, including VIIa, but most have ruled these levels out as likely candidates for the city of Troy from the Iliad.<ref>Finley, 1.</ref> ==Theories about Did the historical likelihood of a Trojan Warhappen?==Due to the lack of useful evidence at Hisarlik, archaeologists continue to disagree on whether or not the Trojan War really took place. Carl Blegen, an archaeologist who excavated at Hisarlik in the 1930s, has said that “it can no longer be doubted” that the Greeks laid siege to the site known as Hisarlik and ultimately destroyed it.<ref>Blegen, Carl William. ''Troy and the Trojans''. New York: Praeger, 1963, p. 20.</ref> However, that opinion was based on the belief that level VIIa was the fabled Troy, and modern experts disagree.

Indeed, many have criticized Blegen for his hasty decision to declare that VIIa is the real Troy. Moses Finley and others have called his conclusion an “act of faith”, and pointed to an almost total lack of evidence to suggest that the fall of Troy was caused by a Greek army <ref>Finley, 1.</ref> Authors such as Finley are far more conservative in their reading of the evidence found at Hisarlik and instead point to contemporary texts from that period, specifically those of the Hittites, that mention a site that may be Troy. The Hittites suggest that this city’s destruction may have been either political or “accidental”“accidental, ” meaning that VIh was invaded as part of a larger scale plundering or raid. <ref>Finley, 5-6.</ref>==What is the most common theory regarding the Trojan War?==The most commonly held theory is that the Iliad's stories are largely untrue but are born out of one or more small truths from the Greeks’ distant past. Perhaps there was some Bronze Age conflict whose story survived the centuries, was passed down orally, and provided the basis for what became a cornerstone of Western literature and thought. Most agree that the cause of such a war was likely politics rather than romance, and far fewer numbers fighters were involved <ref>Bryce, 183.</ref> Until the day when more clues come to light, there is no way to conclude that the Trojan War was a real event.

The most commonly held theory Due to a great lack of evidence even to prove that Hisarlik is that the stories in The Iliad are largely untruereal Troy, but are born out the question of one whether or more small truths from not the Greeks’ distant pastTrojan War really took place remains unanswered. Perhaps there was some Bronze Age conflict whose story survived the centuriesHowever, was given that The Iliad is a work of fiction passed down orallyfor centuries before it was written down, and provided the basis for what became a cornerstone of Western literature and thoughtarchaeologists are hesitant to conclude that such an event took place. Most However, most agree that the cause there is a high degree of such a war was likely politics rather than romance, likelihood that The Iliad and far fewer numbers of fighters The Odyssey were involved <ref>Bryce, 183.</ref> Until at the day when more clues comes to light, there is no way to conclude very least inspired by a large-scale military excursion that occurred some time in the Trojan War was a real eventLate Bronze Age.<div class="portal" style="width:85%;">

Due to a great lack of evidence even to prove that Hisarlik is the real Troy, the question of whether or not the Trojan War really took place remains unanswered====Related DailyHistory. However, given that The Iliad is a work of fiction that org Articles====*[[What was passed down orally for centuries before Plato's academy and why did it influence Western thought?]]*[[Alexander the Great Top Ten Booklist]]*[[Why was written down, archaeologists are hesitant Alexander the Great So Successful In His Conquests?]]*[[What Factors Led to conclude that such an event took place. However, most agree that there is a high degree the Creation of likelihood that The Iliad and The Odyssey were at the very least inspired by a large scale military excursion that occurred some time in the late Bronze Age.First Cities?]]</div>

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[[Category:Ancient History]] [[Category:Military Greek History]] [[Category:Near East History]][[Category:Ancient Egyptian History of Science and Technology]]