How Do We Know Where Troy Really Was?

The Trojan Horse astatine Hisarlik, the archaeological tract usually identified with Troy. Credit: Jorge Láscar, CC BY 2.0

The find of Troy astatine Hisarlik successful the 19th period by Heinrich Schliemann is inactive regarded arsenic 1 of the astir striking examples of Greek mythology and archaeology coming together.

However, however bash we cognize that Schliemann truly did observe Troy, and not conscionable immoderate random past metropolis successful Turkey? How bash we truly cognize wherever Troy was located?

How Homer’s Iliad Reveals Where Troy Was

Some grounds comes from the astir celebrated written relationship of Troy – Homer’s Iliad. In this poem from the seventh period BC, Homer refers to galore of Troy’s allies. He explains that during the Trojan War, Troy was supported by assorted different nations, specified arsenic the Phrygians, the Lydians, Mysians, Paphlagonians, and galore others. Almost each the nations helium mentions tin beryllium identified with nations from Anatolia. Specifically, they are astir wholly from western Anatolia.

The lone notable state of Troy successful the Iliad not from Anatolia are the Thracians. The Thracians lived successful Europe, conscionable adjacent to the northbound eastbound country of Anatolia. Their territory extended close to the Bosporus. So from this dispersed of nations successful occidental Anatolia and the territory of the Thracians, it is wide that Troy was astir apt located determination adjacent the borderline betwixt Anatolia and Europe.

The Scamander River

We cognize that Troy indispensable person been adjacent the sea, due to the fact that the Iliad describes however the Greek campy adjacent the enactment was separated from Troy simply by a ample plain. Therefore, Troy indispensable person been determination adjacent the seashore of Western Anatolia. Homer besides associates Troy with the Scamander River. Since the Scamander River flows into the Aegean Sea disconnected Western Anatolia, this is simply a precise adjuvant portion of information.

In fact, Homer specifically tells america that the Greeks acceptable up their campy by the rima of the river. This confirms that Troy indispensable person been adjacent wherever the Scamander River reaches the Aegean Sea.

How Herodotus Reveals Where Troy Was

Bronze Age walls of Troy VI. Credit: Wikipedia Commons / Bgabel cc-by-sa 3.0

The relation with the Scamander River is truly 1 of the keys successful determining the determination of Troy. But Homer does not archer america everything we request to know. For example, however bash we truly cognize wherever the Scamander was?

This stream was mentioned by assorted past writers, 1 of them being Herodotus. In his statement of Xerxes’ penetration of Greece, helium describes however Xerxes’ service came crossed the Scamander River portion marching towards the Hellespont. He explains however the service arrived astatine Mount Ida, and past helium mentions them coming to the Scamander River instantly aft this. So the Scamander River indispensable beryllium a salient stream adjacent Mount Ida.

The stream known arsenic the Karamenderes successful modern times is 1 of lone 3 rivers that conscionable this criterion. And aft mentioning this river, Herodotus explains that Xerxes ‘ascended to the citadel of Priam’ – that is, Troy.

He past explains that Xerxes’ service carried connected their march the adjacent day. Here, Herodotus says that the service kept the cities of Rhoetium, Ophryneum and Dardanus connected their left, and the metropolis of Gergithae connected their right.

Looking astatine a map, it is wide that the Karamenderes River is the 1 which Xerxes’ service indispensable person been astatine conscionable anterior to marching past these cities.

How Archaeology Confirms Where Troy Really Was

From this information, we tin spot that Troy indispensable person been located adjacent the coast, wherever the Karamenderes River meets the sea. From these and different Greek records, we cognize that determination was inactive a functioning metropolis called Ilion (Troy’s different name) here, successful which determination was inactive a functioning sanctuary of Athena. This metropolis continued to beryllium inhabited successful Roman times, erstwhile it came to beryllium known arsenic Ilium.

Archaeology confirms that the Greek municipality of Ilion, with its sanctuary to Athena, was astatine Hisarlik. Coins person been recovered there with inscriptions to ‘Athena Ilias’, confirming the identification. So, we tin beryllium precise definite of the determination of the Ilion and Ilium of Classical Antiquity. It was decidedly the archaeological tract astatine Hisarlik.

But what astir the much past Ilium, oregon Troy? Can we beryllium definite that the Troy of the Trojan War truly was present arsenic well? After all, immoderate writers successful the Roman play believed that the Troy of fable had been located determination else.

However, Herodotus, who lived overmuch earlier than these writers, expresses nary specified belief. He says intelligibly that the metropolis visited by Xerxes, astatine which determination was a sanctuary to Athena, was ‘the citadel of Priam’.

In addition, the archaeological excavations astatine Hisarlik corroborate this viewpoint. They amusement that this metropolis had existed agelong earlier Classical Antiquity.

It existed successful the clip of the Trojan War, arsenic good arsenic overmuch earlier. Therefore, determination is nary crushed to uncertainty that the Troy of the Trojan War truly was wherever Schliemann claimed: Hisarlik.