Did the Trojan War Really Happen?

Summary by Krater

This video explores the historical reality behind Homer's Iliad and the Trojan War, comparing literary accounts with archaeological discoveries at Hisarlik by Heinrich Schliemann, Wilhelm Dörpfeld, and Carl Blegen.

From the video

Answers: Was the Trojan War real and did the city of Troy actually exist?

• Trojan War historicity
• Bronze Age collapse
• Heinrich Schliemann excavations
• Wilhelm Dörpfeld Troy VI discovery
• Carl Blegen Troy VII excavation
• Mycenaean civilization
• Hittite records and Wilusa
• Luwian identity of Trojans

What it concludes

• Heinrich Schliemann mistakenly excavated Troy II, dating to around 2300 B.C. or earlier, which was too old to be Homeric Troy.
• Wilhelm Dörpfeld identified Troy VI as a fortified citadel dating from 1700 to 1250 B.C., but concluded its destruction was caused by an earthquake rather than a Greek invasion.
• Carl Blegen's excavation of Troy VII revealed it was rebuilt after the earthquake, showed signs of war and siege, and fits the timeline of Homer's Iliad.
• R. Manfred O. Korfmann's excavations discovered a massive lower city at Troy VII, confirming it was a major urban center under siege.
• Hittite records mention Wilusija, which is almost certainly Troy, and indicate geopolitical conflicts between Achaean-backed groups and Hittite vassals in the late Bronze Age.