Questions about Trojan War
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What caused the Trojan War according to Greek mythology?
The Trojan War began when the goddess Eris threw a golden apple inscribed "to the fairest" at the wedding of Peleus and Thetis. Three goddesses, Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite, competed for it, and Paris of Troy judged in Aphrodite's favour, earning her gift: the love of Helen, queen of Sparta. Paris took Helen from Sparta while her husband Menelaus was in Crete, and Menelaus called on all the Achaean kings who had sworn an oath to defend Helen's marriage.
How long did the Trojan War last?
According to Greek mythology and the Homeric epics, the Trojan War lasted ten years. The Iliad narrates a period of four days and two nights during the tenth and final year of the siege.
Was the Trojan War a real historical event?
Most scholars today believe the Trojan War is grounded in a historical core, likely reflecting Bronze Age Greek expeditions against cities in the region the Hittites called Assuwa, but that Homer's account is not a reliable record of any single conflict. The site of Hisarlık in modern Turkey is accepted by most scholars as the location of ancient Troy, and the city layer designated Troy VIIa, destroyed around 1180 BC, is the most likely candidate for Homeric Troy.
Who were the main heroes of the Trojan War on the Achaean side?
The leading Achaean heroes included Achilles, described as the greatest mortal warrior; Ajax, son of Telamon; Odysseus of Ithaca; Diomedes; and Agamemnon, king of Mycenae, who commanded the overall expedition. Achilles conquered eleven cities and twelve islands during nine years of raids on Troy's allies.
How did the Trojan Horse work and who devised it?
The Trojan Horse was devised by Odysseus as a way to smuggle Achaean soldiers inside the walls of Troy. It was a giant hollow wooden horse built by a craftsman named Epeius under Athena's guidance, inscribed as a thank-offering to Athena for the Greeks' safe return home. The Achaean fleet pretended to sail away, the Trojans dragged the horse inside the city, and at midnight the soldiers hidden inside emerged and opened the gates.
What happened to Achilles in the Trojan War and how did he die?
Achilles withdrew from the war after Agamemnon took his captive Briseis as compensation for returning Chryseis to her father. He returned after Hector killed his companion Patroclus, slew Hector, and was later killed when Paris shot a poisoned arrow guided by Apollo. Both versions of his death, an arrow in the heel or a knife to the back in the temple of Thymbraean Apollo, agree that he was never defeated in open battle.