Trojan War: Myth or Reality? New Developments About Troy

Archaeologists have discovered striking traces of a Bronze Age conflict reminiscent of the Iliad in their work on the ruins of ancient Troy. Slingstones, arrowheads, burned structures, and hastily buried skeletons… These suggest that the sudden and devastating attack described by Homer may have been much more than just literary fiction. Excavations led by Prof. Dr. Rüstem Aslan of Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University have highlighted the discovery of hundreds of streamlined sling stones and arrowheads just outside the walls of Troy. These weapons date back approximately 3,200 to 3,600 years, the period in which the battle described in the Iliad is thought to have taken place, around 1184 BC. And this is just the beginning. The soil layer known as the "destruction layer" has revealed burned buildings, shattered weapons, and hastily buried human remains. This suggests that Troy fell not slowly, but as a result of a sudden and violent attack. The legend of Troy, from Homer's Iliad, recounts the events that began with Paris's abduction of Queen Helen of Sparta and the Greeks' ten-year siege. The most famous scene depicts the Greeks hiding inside a giant wooden horse, infiltrating the city, and destroying Troy from within. Until now, this story has often been dismissed as a myth, a literary masterpiece. However, these new findings suggest that Troy may have indeed faced a siege and destruction. No remains of the wooden horse have yet been found, but experts believe it may be a metaphor, perhaps a literary reflection of a real-life plot. So what made Troy so important? Located in western Anatolia, overlooking the Dardanelles, Troy was a center of trade and power between Europe and Asia. Its strategic location made it both wealthy and vulnerable to attack. With its high stone walls, powerful defensive towers, and complex urban plan, Troy was one of the best-fortified cities of its time. However, it appears that even these defenses were insufficient to stop a sudden attack. Archaeologists have been excavating Troy since the 19th century. However, in recent years, the focus has shifted to the period 1500–1200 BC—the Bronze Age Collapse, a period of great destruction throughout the Mediterranean world. Perhaps Troy was not merely a love war waged for Helen, but rather part of a conflict overshadowed by much larger political and economic interests. Today, visitors to the ruins of Troy can see a replica wooden horse, the remains of city walls, and an archaeological excavation site. With these new findings, Troy emerges as the silent witness not just of a myth but of a real historical catastrophe. Perhaps the Trojan War actually took place… And you can still feel its echoes as you walk there.