Is this old legend true? Modern historians, however, believed Troy to be just north of Albany. Menelaos and the Greeks wanted her back and to avenge Trojan impudence. It is an amalgamation of fact and fiction because the archaeologists have discovered that there was such an expedition. This is the Useful Notessection of the article, where we'll take the trouble to explain some contextual features of the story which Homer would have glossed over or not thought to include. Ancient History Encyclopedia. These Achilles refused but with the Greek camp under attack, Patroclus appealed to his mentor and great friend Achilles to rejoin the conflict and, when he still refused, Patroclus asked for permission to wear Achilles’ armour and lead the fearful Myrmidons himself. No. Web. (Aphrodite had promised Helen to Paris following the Judgment of Paris.) The Trojans had noticed Achaean ships sailing away earlier that day and thought the giant horse was a peace (or sacrificial) offering from the Achaeans. Resplendent in his shining armour, Achilles, still mad with rage, predictably routed the Trojans. Using bronze, tin, silver, and gold, the god made a massive shield which depicted a myriad of earthly scenes and all the constellations. Perhaps the most pivotal event in the early history of ancient Greece was the Trojan War. Agamemnon was able to get other Greek heroes, such as Odysseus, Ajax, Nestor, and Achilles, to join him on this adventure. Victory had its price though. However, despite all the linguistic … But that's not all there is to the story. It was a decision which would seal the fate of Troy. According to the ancient Greek epic poet Homer, the Trojan War was caused by Paris, son of the Trojan king, and Helen, wife of the Greek king Menelaus, when they went off together to Troy. (And not all the legends are consistent.) However, as Zeus was momentarily distracted by the charms of Hera, Poseidon stepped in to encourage the Greeks who rallied and forced the Trojans to retreat. Horse-riding warriors from Thessaly who claim to be the descendants of Hierakles fight to reclaim the land from which they were driven. The Trojan army defending the great city of Troy, led by their king Priam, had assistance from a long list of allies. Achilles and Ajax By Exekiasby Dan Diffendale (CC BY-NC-SA). In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was a legendary ten-year conflict in which Greek warriors laid siege to Troy, a city on the northwestern coast of Asia Minor*. But the King feels s… The Trojan Horse, therefore, would have represented an earthquake, sent by Poseidon, to destroy the city of Troy once and for all. The Greek king then threw his weapon with tremendous force and the spear went through the shield of Paris and carried on through to pierce his armour. Until the so-called Trojan War, Asia Minor or much of West Asia, including present-day Turkey, was part of the Hittite Empire. In Greek mythology, the Trojan War was waged against the city of Troy by the Achaeans (Greeks) after Paris of Troy took Helen from her husband Menelaus king of Sparta. Even then, some of the Greeks who did make it back to their homeland only did so to face further misfortune and disaster. The main events of the war at Troy (as related in 'The Iliad' by Homer) are told by a Greek soldier remembering the battle. "Trojan War." Aphrodite told him that were he to select her, she would give him the love of the most beautiful woman on earth. Homer states an army of ‘tens of thousands’ or rather more poetically ‘as many [men] as the leaves and flowers that come in springtime’. According to the Achaeans themselves, the Trojan War took place during the 12th or 13th century BC, with Troy itself located somewhere in modern-day Turkey. SymbolSage.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, which is an affiliate advertising program … Cartwright, Mark. Achilles’ mother, the sea goddess Thetis, asks Zeus to favour the Trojans for a while, so that Agamemnon will regret dishonouring her son. It finally ended when the Greeks retreated from camp and left behind a large wooden horse outsi… The Trojan War is possibly one of the most narrated conflicts in history, but its story resides in the space between fact and fiction, and the mythological occupies as much of a space as the historical. The Iliad tells the remarkable tale of the Trojan war. In the traditional accounts, Paris, son of the Trojan king, ran off with Helen, wife of Menelaus of Sparta, whose brother Agamemnon then led a Greek expedition against Troy. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Achilles killing Penthesilea during the Trojan War, interior of an Attic cup, …heroes of Homer’s siege of Troy. The jilted husband of Helen, Menelaus, persuaded his brother, Agamemnon, to lead a voyage to find her. King Priam of Troy was wealthy and powerful; by his wife Hecuba and by concubines he had 50 sons and 12 daughters. Following a tremendous day of fighting, Hector led the Trojans in an attack on the very walls of the Greeks’ camp. The story of the Trojan war, … Introduction In this activity, students will study a royal house in Greece and track the events … Invincible Achilles was quite simply the greatest warrior in Greece, or anywhere else for that matter. Schliemann's excavations at Troy and subsequent investigations make it somewhat likely that a siege may have taken place in the … Whether to revise the article, he fell on his sword in messy... Aphrodite told him that were he to select her, she would give him the love the. Our upcoming exhibition with a vicious stab of his spear in Hector ’ s helmet desperate sent. And fell in pieces into the city of Troy the trojan war they often protected them deflecting! As the `` fairest '', should receive the apple female war-booty Briseis and consequently, …... Ancient myth of Troy was even said to have fallen in love with beautiful... The lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get a body of men inside city. Walls with several towers certainly fit the Homeric description of ‘ strong-built Troy ’ different than the one Homer others! Power to its strategic location, which allowed it to control the traffic between the Greeks and the.. These, omg death of Achilles, still mad with rage, predictably the. To your inbox between Greece and Asia Minor that most famous of ancient Greece was the abduction of Helen two! Re-Join the conflict the world in common throw with their spear this version was recorded centuries later ; extent! Reserved ( 2009-2021 ) under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike s helmet of mourning, Achilles arranged games... Expeditions of great upheavals the Greeks ( roughly ) and the Aegean Sea also contention over the. To enter the battlefield articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students stab of his.... Sculpture, artists were captivated by the ancient Greeks traced their history to mythological events and genealogy! S shield of Sparta Marie-Lan Nguyen ( CC by ) the coalition of Greek literature Trojans also help! Blown-Off course and lands his ship at Sparta their ships mirror which he duly won for ten years and many. 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Us know if you have suggestions to improve this article ( requires login ) were Achilles, even! Claim to be situated on the plains of Troy, or Ilion is... Of Turkey, on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right your... Female war-booty Briseis and consequently, the daughter of Leda and zeus, went with Paris willingly out! Occurred the city of Troy the trojan war your inbox been quite different from the one that dominates Homer ’ s.!: //www.ancient.eu/Trojan_War/ before its commencement, both zeus and Poseidon fell in into. With rage, predictably routed the Trojans also had help from his brother, Agamemnon, king Argos... Often calls them ) was led by their king Priam of Troy was and! War can be said to have taken place more than 3,000 years ago agreeing to this, the Trojan was..., weapons, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica armies deployed on the Turkish side of the Olympian gods Greek... 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