Did The Greeks Really Use A Trojan Horse?

But was it just a myth? Probably, says Oxford University classicist Dr Armand D’Angour: ‘Archaeological evidence shows that Troy was indeed burned down; but the wooden horse is an imaginative fable, perhaps inspired by the way ancient siege-engines were clothed with damp horse-hides to stop them being set alight.

Was the story of Troy true?

Much of it is no doubt fantasy. There is, for example, no evidence that Achilles or even Helen existed. But most scholars agree that Troy itself was no imaginary Shangri-la but a real city, and that the Trojan War indeed happened.

How did the Greeks actually win the Trojan War?

The fall of Troy
The Greeks finally win the war by an ingenious piece of deception dreamed up by the hero and king of Ithaca, Odysseus – famous for his cunning. They build a huge wooden horse and leave it outside the gates of Troy, as an offering to the gods, while they pretend to give up battle and sail away.

Why did the Greeks use the Trojan horse?

The Greeks, under the guidance of Odysseus, built a huge wooden horse — the horse was the symbol of the city of Troy — and left it at the gates of Troy. They then pretended to sail away. The Trojans believed the huge wooden horse was a peace offering to their gods and thus a symbol of their victory after a long siege.

Who Killed Paris of Troy?

archer Philoctetes
Paris himself, soon after, received a fatal wound from an arrow shot by the rival archer Philoctetes.

Did any Trojans survive the fall of Troy?

Among the Trojans, Aeneas and Antenor ₁ survived, owing to their treason, as some affirm. Antenor ₁ settled in northern Italy, and Aeneas came first to Carthage (where he mislead Dido), and thence to Italy.

Did Greece actually fight Troy?

As the historical sources – Herodotus and Eratosthenes – show, it was generally assumed to have been a real event. According to Homer’s Iliad, the conflict between the Greeks – led by Agamemnon, King of Mycenae – and the Trojans – whose king was Priam – took place in the Late Bronze Age, and lasted 10 years.

Was Helen of Troy a real person?

There are many conflicting elements to the mythology that surround the figure of Helen, some interpretations of the myth even suggest that she was abducted by Paris. But ultimately, there was no real Helen in Ancient Greece, she is purely a mythological character.

Who actually won the Trojan War?

The Greeks
The Greeks won the Trojan War. According to the Roman epic poet Virgil, the Trojans were defeated after the Greeks left behind a large wooden horse and pretended to sail for home. Unbeknown to the Trojans, the wooden horse was filled with Greek warriors.

Did Zeus plan the Trojan War?

The Trojan War, in Greek tradition, started as a way for Zeus to reduce the ever-increasing population of humanity and, more practically, as an expedition to reclaim Helen, wife of Menelaus, King of Sparta and brother of Agamemnon.

What actually happened with the Trojan Horse?

The Greeks pretended to sail away, and the Trojans pulled the horse into their city as a victory trophy. That night, the Greek force crept out of the horse and opened the gates for the rest of the Greek army, which had sailed back under cover of darkness. The Greeks entered and destroyed the city, ending the war.

Was Achilles real?

Most of us think he was a mythologic Greek hero (Figure 1). The truth is that there may well have been a real Thessalian warrior, later mythologized by his semi-literate people. The story goes that his mother, Thetis, made him invulnerable by dipping him in the River Styx while he was still an infant.

Did Paris and Helen have a child?

Helen and Paris had three sons, Bunomus, Aganus (“gentle”), Idaeus and a daughter also called Helen.

What did Helen of Troy look like?

Helen resembled Castor and Pollux. She was beautiful, ingenuous, and charming. Her legs were the best; her mouth the cutest. There was a beauty-mark between her eyebrows.”

Did Achilles have a lover?

Did Achilles have a male lover? As a boy, Achilles develops a close relationship with another boy named Patroclus, who joins Achilles’ household as an exile, having accidentally killed another child. They become friends and possibly lovers.

What is ancient Troy called today?

Perhaps somewhat confusingly, the modern site of Troy is known in Turkey as Hisarlik, but the local Turks will understand what you mean by Troy – although they spell it as Troja. Troy is around 19 miles from Canakkale and around 4 miles from the Aegean Sea as well as the Dardanelles.

Why didn’t the Trojans give Helen back?

The oddness of the situation comes down to this: technically, Paris and Helen’s marriage was divinely sanctioned by Aphrodite and at no point did any of the gods dispute that. As such, Priam did not really have the right to send Helen back to Sparta without Paris.

Why did the Greeks destroy Troy?

According to classical sources, the war began after the abduction (or elopement) of Queen Helen of Sparta by the Trojan prince Paris. Helen’s jilted husband Menelaus convinced his brother Agamemnon, king of Mycenae, to lead an expedition to retrieve her.

Is there any evidence of the Trojan War?

The Greek epics, Hittite records, Luwian poetry, and archaeological remains provide evidence not of a single Trojan war but rather of multiple wars that were fought in the area that we identify as Troy and the Troad. As a result, the evidence for the Trojan War of Homer is tantalizing but equivocal.

Does Troy exist today?

Today, Troy is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a popular attraction for tourists. Excavations continue at Troy but are now led by archaeologists from Turkey, the most recent digs being led by Rüstem Aslan, a professor at Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart Üniversitesi.

Did Hector and Achilles really fight?

Achilles chased Hector back to Troy, slaughtering Trojans all the way. When they got to the city walls, Hector tried to reason with his pursuer, but Achilles was not interested. He stabbed Hector in the throat, killing him.