Troy
Troy: Some Background
Troy is situated near the modern city of Canakkale in Turkey, just below the opening of the Dardanelles. In ancient times, it was flanked by two rivers, the Scamander and Simois, and was quite close to the sea. Over time, the rivers have silted up, filling in the bay and pushing the sea back.
Because Troy was inhabited continuously for almost three thousand years, the current archaeological site is really several different cities layered on top of one another. Scholars have identified layers VI and VIIa as belonging to the time period that Homer describes in the Iliad, and have even found evidence that the city was destroyed around that time. For a more complete discussion of the Iliad’s historical basis, I again recommend Project Troia’s FAQ.
Click here to see a slideshow and commentary from my recent visit to Troy.
