Troy: The Myth and Reality Behind the World's Epic Legend

Troy is the city that gave birth to some of the greatest stories the Western world has ever heard. Troy digs deep into the history of the magnificent city, the myths and legends, the fate of treasures and of men and women, taking us up to the present day. For Troy is not only a place of myth, Troy existed. Homer's Illiad brings all the strands of the story together with Priam, a king; Hector, his heroic son; the mighty warrior, Achilles, from whom Alexander the Great claimed descent; Patroclus, Achilles' dearest friend; Ulysses, the old trickster; Paris, Priam's other son; and finally, Agamemnon who led the besieging forces demanding the return of Helen, wife of Menelaeus. Schliemann, a German archaeologist, was obsessed with finding the fabled city. He unearthed the city of Troy that had vanished from the face of the earth. By skill, determination and fine detective work, Schliemann found the layers of one city after another lying under a mound on the shores of Asia, called Hissalrik. In this stunning, illustrated reference book, Nick McCarty retells the magnificent epic legend of the place and answers many questions. He also uncovers the archaeological history of Troy and the people involved in those discoveries.