Troy For most of the last 3000 years, people assumed that Homer's Iliad was fiction, and that Troy (Truva in Turkish) never existed. Then in 1863 a British expatriate named Frank Calvertdiscovered ancient ruins at a place in western Turkey called Hisarlık and was convinced they were Troy. Heinrich Schliemann showed up in 1868, provided money for more digging, and took credit for discovering Troy. Guided tours to Troy and the Gallipoli battlefields run from Altinoluk, especially in April around ANZAC Day. Some visitors think "there's not a lot to see at Troy," and that's true compared to Turkey's hundreds of other ancient cities such as Pergamum, Ephesus andAphrodisias. But I get a thrill just from seeing Troy's ancient walls, climbing around the ruins, and gazing across theTroad (the plains of Troy) towards the waters of the Dardanelles and the hills of Gallipoli beyond. You can also wander into the mountains east of Troy to massive Mount Ida (Kazdağı), a great place for a few nights' relaxation at a mountain inn. Troy is impressive for its great age (the oldest ruins date from 3000 BC) and beautiful situation. The hokey wooden horse is just for fun (especially for kids). The movie, with Brad Pitt and Diane Kruger, was released in May 2004. Also, heading south, if you have time to wander, consider going off the beaten path by turning west atEzine to see the ancient sites of Neandria, Alexandria Troas, and the Smintheon, on a smaller road closer to the Aegean coast via Gülpınar to Assos (Behramkale). Signs point the way.
THE LEGEND OF TROY İn 1300 B.C. , people lived happily and prosperously in the region of Troas on the northwest of Anatolia under the rule of King Priamos and social life was highly advanced.This luxurious and prospereus lifestyle was envied by its enemies and they constantly sought out excuses to attack and pillage Troy.But the walls of the city were very strong and virtually impenetrable. The king’s wife was excepting another child after Hector.during a dream at nigth,she sees that the city is engulfed in flames.She tells her dream to the king.And the king consults the oracles.The oracles tell him that this second child will be the end of Troy and he must be killed.The child is born and the named Paris but his mother cant bring herself to kill the child.She can only resist the pressures for a couple of months.They take the child to rescues it by giving him her milk.Then a shepperd named Agelaos finds and adopts him.They name him Alexandros and teach him how to be a shepperd.He becomes a brave,strong,handsome boy.He sees that he is different from his other siblings.He meets a tree fairy named Lonone and marries her. During those times,Goddesses used tol ive on the peaks of mountains.These Gods shape the fate of mankind.They used to marry humans and produce half God,half man childeren.The God of the Gods was Zeus. On Mount Olympus, there was the wedding of Thetis, a beautiful mermaid and Peleus human. All the Gods and Goddesses were invited, except for Eris,the Goddess of strife and discord Eris, who decides to crash the wedding, writes ''to the most beautiful on a golden apple and throws it in the middle of the banquet table .All the Goddesses who claim to be the most beautiful try to grab the apple. Finally, the apple is acquired by Hera, the wife of Zeus, Athena and Aphrodite. They present the golden apple to Zeus so that he can give it to the most beautiful one but he doesn t want to anger the Goddesses .He says that a shepherd called Paris on Mount Ida is fit for the job.The Goddesses .find Paris while grazing his sheep on Mount Ida.They give him the golden apple and ask him to give it to the most beautiful Goddess. Paris is surprised when he sees three beautiful women.and pauses. .Hera tells him that if he gives her the apple she will in turn give him the Asian Kingdom. Athena on the other hand,promises him infinite wisdom and succes and Aphrodite tells him that she Paris does not forget this event. He always thinks of Helen. |