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The historicity of the Homeric works is still debated within the disciplines of archaeology and history. Many see the epics as containing some elements of historical truth, but that is often eclipsed by grandiose literary elements that seek a different path than historical narrative. It’s a protracted piece of oral tradition and as such, its literal truth should be taken with a grain of salt.

Has archaeology established a Troy? Well…kinda. There are remains in Anatolia that certainly date to the proper milieu (and geography), but after that it becomes a much murkier picture. Korfmann’s excavations concluded that several armed conflicts (wars?) did occur at the site, but whether these confirm Homer’s works is still unclear.

What is clear is that archaeology is still devoted to filling in the massive gaps in the historical record and while that currently doesn’t vindicate Homer’s epics as sound historical works, it does recognize them as important works in history.

Well, I'm sure The Illiad has some merit, but I agree with Mustang it can't be taken as the gospel truth.

Imagine that 2000 years from now an archeologist finds a copy of the Guns of Navarone. Would that create all sorts of effort in discovering its veracity? Surely there were commando raids on various coastal installations throughout WW2, but we know it to be a work of fiction. I'm sure Homer used some artistic license in the Illiad to make it a greater epic. What author wouldn't?

Still, there is evidence of the city of Troy and several battles fought there, according to the archeological record. Between that and excavation of the Hisarlik by Schliemann (whose find ( the 2nd city)was debunked as too recent), it is currently believed that the 6th and 7th oldest cities on that site might have been the mythical Troy.

From its location, Trojan forces could sortie into Greek waters with ease and cause all sorts of trouble. And the location is also astride a strategic chokepoint for anyone wanting to trade with those in the Black Sea, so the war very easily could have happened. Wars happen between trading partners all the time...

I dont know much about the trojan war but the Trojan Game look more intersting.

sorry that was a typo, it is 6th and 7th

After the Tsunami in Asia a year and a bit ago, they discovered temples on the ocean floor off the coast of India. Some people said that confirmed Atlantis......

Most myths/legends have some basis on history, but are usually not close to the truth....Like they say, the best lies have a grain of truth in them...

If you say, a war or three happened in the same vicinity as the place where the story took place I'll buy that.

But did Athena come and speak to Achilles?

Was he really invincible?

Did a King start a war over one woman in a time when owning women was equated with owning cattle?

After the Trojan war did Odyssius really meet a cyclops and the godess Callisto?

It's sort of like the Noah story.....We know that several incredibly immense floods decimated major parts of the world in our history. Almost all cultures have big flood mythology as part of their history/mythology....

Does that mean Noah packed every animal in existence into a boat that he built out of wood, a boat that could withstand floods way more powerful than the tsunami we recently saw?

So did a war happen near a place that might have been called Troy?

Sure...I think wars have taken place on pretty much every sq inch on the planet.....Did it have anything to do with the "novel" Homer wrote? I doubt it...

Vitamin, I think you might have missed how I barely commented on the Iliad. All of my points are fact.

He ain't gonna do that again......ever.....

A blast from the past...

Dah fuq? I was in Highschool when I made this.

One of the Royal Navy's new submarines, currently under construction at Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria, is to be called HMS Agamemnon.

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