The Trojan War: Causes and Aftermath
Greek mythology has dedicated hundreds of scriptures and poems depicting one of the greatest wars of all time, the trojan war. Fought between Troy and the Greeks, the Trojan War is perhaps one of the most famous wars of all time. The war was fought in the beautiful city of Troy in Anatolia during the later stages of the Bronze age. Hence, the story has managed to grab the attention and imagination of people for sure.
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The Trojan War is one of those wars that have shaped and defined the way Greek culture in ancient times is viewed in the present-day 21st century. The story consists of heroic warriors, gods, and so many other mentions of religion, customs, warfare, and other anecdotes about Greeks. In this article, there is a detailed Trojan war summary depicting the war and why it had started in the first place.
What Was The Trojan War?
The only sources that depict the story of the trojan war are in the works of poets such as Homer, Virgil, and many others. The more accurate description of the battle of Troy is in Homer’s Iliad. It was written somewhere during the 8th Century BCE. In Iliad, he recounts about 52 days that followed the final stages for the 10-year long struggle that happened in Troy. However, the Greeks seem to imagine that the war must have occurred somewhere around the 13th century. This war also made some of the warriors immortal in the view of Greeks such as Odysseus and the trojan war hero Achilles.
The trojan war, in the tradition of the Greeks, was considered to be a way for the Greek god Zeus to decrease the increasing population of humanity. However, in a more practical manner, it was basically an expedition for the reclamation of Helen, the wife of Menelaus, who was the king of Sparta. Menelaus was the brother of Agamemnon. According to mythology, Helen, who was the queen of Sparta was kidnapped by Paris who was the Trojan prince. He was also known as Alexandros. Helen was taken as the prize that he had to pay after choosing Aphrodite in a competition of choosing the most enchanting and beautiful goddess. Menelaos along with the other Greek warriors wanted to have Helen back and hence it led to the trojan war.
If we go by the classical sources, the trojan war actually began after the abduction of Queen Helen. She belonged to Sparta and the abductor of the queen was Prince Paris of Troy. King Menelaos, the jilted husband of Helen convinced his brother, King Agamemnon of Mycenae, to march forward with an expedition to retrieve the queen. There were some other Greek heroes that accompanied Agamemnon such as Nestor, Achilles, Odysseus, and Ajax with about a thousand ships to lay siege to Troy and get the queen back.
Who Won The Trojan War?
The war went along for a very long time for about 10 years and there were many battles fought. The war also led to the death of so many heroes. The Trojan war hero Achilles also lost his life in the battle according to a prophecy. After 10 years of rigorous fighting, the Greek armies left one morning and left a large horse made of wood right outside the gates of Troy. While the trojans were intrigued with the horse, the king’s daughter Cassandra warned them not to bring the horse inside. However, her words went on deaf ears and the Trojans brought the horse in. Night fell and from the horse came out the numerous Greek warriors who were led there by Odysseus. This led to the defeat of the Trojans at the hands of the Greeks.
Is The Trojan War Story Real?
Most of the portions that depict the trojan war are really difficult to read from a historical point of view. There are so many main characters who are supposed to be the offspring of Gods themselves. For example, Helen was supposedly fathered by Zeus when he disguised himself as a swan and impregnated Helen’s mother Leda. Apart from that, the trojan war is supposedly the result of the actions of gods as well who were in competition. For example, Paris won the love of Helen after awarding the golden apple to Goddess Aphrodite in a competition that she had for being the most beautiful goddess with Athena, Hera, and herself.
Several depictions have been made about the trojan war story in Greek literature as it was one of the most important wars to be fought in Greek history. This article is really helpful when it comes to summarizing the details of the war and students can understand a lot about the topic from it.
FAQs on Trojan War
1. What is the Trojan War?
The Trojan War is a legendary conflict from ancient Greek mythology, famously fought between the Achaeans (Greeks) and the city of Troy. The story is best known from epic poems like Homer's Iliad, which details a part of the ten-year siege of Troy.
2. What was the main cause of the Trojan War?
The war began after Paris, a prince of Troy, abducted or eloped with Helen, the queen of Sparta. Helen's husband, Menelaus, convinced his brother Agamemnon to lead a Greek army to Troy to bring her back, sparking a decade-long conflict.
3. Who won the Trojan War and how?
The Greeks (Achaeans) won the Trojan War. After ten years of fighting, they tricked the Trojans using the famous Trojan Horse. They pretended to abandon the siege, leaving behind a giant wooden horse as a supposed offering. The Trojans brought the horse into their city, but Greek soldiers were hidden inside. That night, they emerged, opened the city gates for the rest of their army, and conquered the unsuspecting city.
4. How long did the Trojan War last?
According to the legends, the Trojan War was a very long conflict that lasted for a total of ten years. Most of this time was spent with the Greek army laying siege to the heavily fortified city of Troy.
5. Was the Trojan War a real historical event?
Historians and archaeologists have a mixed view. For a long time, it was considered pure myth. However, archaeological excavations in modern-day Turkey have uncovered the ruins of a city that is widely believed to be the historical Troy. It shows evidence of being destroyed in a war around the time the Trojan War was thought to have occurred. While a real war likely happened, the epic stories about it, involving gods and superhuman heroes, are considered mythological additions.
6. Who were the most important heroes fighting for the Greeks and Trojans?
Several legendary heroes are famous for their roles in the war.
- For the Greeks: The main heroes included Achilles, their greatest warrior; Agamemnon, the leader of the Greek forces; and Odysseus, the clever king known for thinking of the Trojan Horse strategy.
- For the Trojans: Their greatest champion was Prince Hector, known for his bravery and leadership. His brother, Prince Paris, was also a key figure as his actions started the war.
7. What role did the Greek gods play in the Trojan War?
The gods were not just observers; they actively took sides and influenced the war's events. For example, Hera and Athena supported the Greeks because Paris had offended them in a beauty contest. In contrast, Aphrodite, whom Paris had chosen as the most beautiful, supported him and the Trojans. Gods like Apollo, Poseidon, and even Zeus frequently intervened to help their favoured heroes or hinder their enemies.
