The Trojan War: A Very Short Introduction
Apr 2013 · Oxford University Press
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About this ebook
The Iliad, Homer's epic tale of the abduction of Helen and the decade-long Trojan War, has fascinated mankind for millennia. Even today, the war inspires countless articles and books, extensive archaeological excavations, movies, television documentaries, even souvenirs and collectibles. But while the ancients themselves believed that the Trojan War took place, scholars of the modern era have sometimes derided it as a piece of fiction. Combining archaeological data and textual analysis of ancient documents, this Very Short Introduction considers whether or not the war actually took place and whether archaeologists have really discovered the site of ancient Troy. To answer these questions, archaeologist and ancient historian Eric H. Cline examines various written sources, including the works of Homer, the Epic Cycle (fragments from other, now-lost Greek epics), classical plays, and Virgil's Aeneid. Throughout, the author tests the literary claims against the best modern archaeological evidence, showing for instance that Homer, who lived in the Iron Age, for the most part depicted Bronze Age warfare with accuracy. Cline also tells the engaging story of the archaeologists--Heinrich Schliemann and his successors Wilhelm Dörpfeld, Carl Blegen, and Manfred Korfmann--who found the long-vanished site of Troy through excavations at Hisarlik, Turkey. Drawing on evidence found at Hisarlik and elsewhere, Cline concludes that a war or wars in the vicinity of Troy probably did take place during the Late Bronze Age, forming the nucleus of a story that was handed down orally for centuries until put into final form by Homer. But Cline suggests that, even allowing that a Trojan War took place, it probably was not fought because of Helen's abduction, though such an incident may have provided the justification for a war actually fought for more compelling economic and political motives. About the Series: Oxford's Very Short Introductions series offers concise and original introductions to a wide range of subjects--from Islam to Sociology, Politics to Classics, Literary Theory to History, and Archaeology to the Bible. Not simply a textbook of definitions, each volume in this series provides trenchant and provocative--yet always balanced and complete--discussions of the central issues in a given discipline or field. Every Very Short Introduction gives a readable evolution of the subject in question, demonstrating how the subject has developed and how it has influenced society. Eventually, the series will encompass every major academic discipline, offering all students an accessible and abundant reference library. Whatever the area of study that one deems important or appealing, whatever the topic that fascinates the general reader, the Very Short Introductions series has a handy and affordable guide that will likely prove indispensable.
Ratings and reviews
3.3
3 reviews
JF SABASTIAN
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August 27, 2023
For a brief summary and introduction to the studies of "The Troyan War" the author succeded to present the most relevant aspects of the modern thought on this theme. For me there is a substantial gap between the archeology facts and the literature. The author introduces the Sea Peoples out of thin air as players in Troy demise, which introduces another vector in the already complicated situation. The author's conclusions are many but all widely open, so no concrete conclusion if the Troyan war was fight at all and if it was fought there is no conclusive evidence in what Troy city it was. The author even shows doubts on the participants. For me and despite the criticism the scientist have to a Homer and to tne Epic Cycle, the arquelogist and the author seems to be desperate to match The Iliad with Troy and the epic events to arqueological reality, and that seems to be a huge error. I guess Mr. Cline left the best for other of his books.
Karl O'Reilly
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January 9, 2024
This was an OK read, overall. My main quibble is that it focuses too much on the archaeological aspect of proceedings concerning Troy and The Trojan War. I would have much preferred a deeper diving into the respective ancient and modern sources on this subject, but such is life. A good read and a recommended read, nevertheless.
About the author
Eric H. Cline is Professor of Classics and Anthropology and chair of the Department of Classical and Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations, as well as director of the Capitol Archaeological Institute at George Washington University. He is Co-Director of the ongoing excavations at Megiddo (biblical Armageddon) in Israel and the author of Biblical Archaeology: A Very Short Introduction, winner of the 2011 Biblical Archaeology Society Publication Award for the Best Popular Book on Archaeology.
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