Ever hear of Cassandra of Troy? One of the most tragic women in literature, she is. A Trojan princess, she was cursed with the gift of prophecy: She could see the future as clear as day. The catch was no one ever believed her. She saw the doom that troublemaking tramp Helen represented, the fall of the city, even her own death at the hands of that other troublemaking tramp, Clytemnestra. Imagine what Cassandra would be saying after Trump takes office. Shudder.
But she was princess of just one of the “Troys.” In fact, according to the last archeological count, there are nine “Troys,” one built on top of the other; Troy VII (circa 1300 to 950 BC) is probably the city of which Homer wrote. The funny thing is, the city of Troy was probably not called that. “Troy” is comes from historic “Troas,” the old name of the strategic spur of land in modern Turkey on the Dardanelles strait that the city ruled; the actual settlement was called Ilion (Greek) or Wilusa (Hittite), but because it was the royal seat, it was “the city” “of” Troy. And it existed long before and long after the war for which it is famed. In Roman times, it was Ilium, and a big deal before the rise of Byzantium, today’s Istanbul.
Things are pretty quiet now (Ilium fell, again, long ago), but it’s one of the most popular archeological parks in Turkey. Because of its 4000-year history, what we see today is an amalgamation of several eras, and you will have to pay very close attention to the literature to know what is what in Troy since, to the untrained eye, it all looks the same “old.”
Since 1870, 24 excavations have uncovered all sorts of goodies, although the on-site Trojan Horse outside the city gates is, alas, modern. The walls, the citadel, eleven gates (Troy was always a big city), a paved entrance ramp, and bastions, are all of which are from Troy II and VI, but a section of wall from Troy I, dated to around 3000 BC, was found. However, by the time Rome moved in, the site had been abandoned for centuries; much of what remains today, such as the theater and agora, is from the new city Julius Caesar had rebuilt. Considering how many times the city rose and fell, it is amazing modern archeologists could make sense of the jumble.
A long day trip from Istanbul (a 4-5 hour bus ride), it might be better set up temporary shop in Canakkale, the nearest modern town. From there, the ruins of Troy, and many others, are a short ride away and there are many tours. And if you meet somebody named Cassandra, don’t blow her off. Just in case. Be sure to contact Steele Luxury Travel for all of your travel planning to “Troy” and beyond! www.SteeleTravel.com.