1 Introduction
A number of historical sources, including Homer's "Iliad," tell the story of the capture of Troy by a large expeditionary force headed by Agamemnon.
Homer implies that Philoctes, who was left in Lemnos, will later be summoned by Troy. [1]
The fifth century BC tragic poet Sophocles gives a specific anecdote about Philoctes.
It is assumed that there was a story about the Troy expedition before Homer.
The story of the Troy expedition, like the story of the Argonauts expedition and the Calydonian boar hunt, featured many heroes of the time.
In Greek folklore, the history of the Troy kingdom is dimly revealed, but when confronted with information from the Hittite documents, the history of the conflict is revealed.
Hittite, who does not appear in Greek historical materials, was largely involved in the conflict.
The cause of the conflict was that Ilus, the son of Tros, succeeded the king of Wilusa, a vassal state of Hittite, and moved to Ilium, where a conflict arose between him and Assaracus, the son of Tros, who lived in Dardanus.
Consider Trojan War as a historical fact.
2 Greeks settlement in northwestern Anatolia
2.1 Settlements in Troas
In 1435 BC, a group of immigrants led by Teucrus, son of Ida (or Idothea), migrated from Crete to Troas and founded Teucrus (later Dardanus) near the Strait of Hellespontus. [2]
The people who settled with Teucrus were Greeks, the first settlers in the northwestern Anatolia Peninsula.
At that time, Wilusa, a vassal state of Hittite, was located in what later became Ilium.
In 1425 BC, Agenor's son Cilix moved from Egypt via Sidon to Cilicia, near Mount Ida, where he founded Thebe. [3]
In 1420 BC, Electra's son, Dardanus, moved from Arcadia via Samothrace to Troas and co-inhabited Teucrus. [4]
In 1390 BC, Minos, a son of Europa, migrated to Troas from Cnossus in Crete. [5]
2.2 Reaction of Hittite
Troas, where Greeks settled, and the surrounding area are owned by Wilusa, a vassal state of Hittite, and it is presumed that there was a conflict between the two.
Wilusa and Hittite have known each other since the 17 century BC. [6]
Naturally, Hittite should also deal with other ethnic groups who invaded the territory of the vassal state.
However, at that time, Hittite was in the end of the Middle Kingdom period and was in turmoil due to continuous internal strife.
The conflict between Wilusa and Greeks appears to have been a minor one.
2.3 Settlements around Troas
In 1390 BC, Archander's son Belus led a group of immigrants from Egypt to settle near the mouth of the Aesepus River just before Cyzicus. The settlement of Belus was called Ethiopia. [7]
The tribe of Belus was Achaeans who migrated from Argos to Egypt. [8]
Belus' son Phineus married Dardanus' daughter Idaea. [9]
In 1380 BC, Phineus migrated to the southwestern shores of the Black Sea and founded Salmydessus. [10]
In 1345 BC, the sons of Phineus migrated from Salmydessus across the Bosporus Strait to the Anatolia Peninsula.
Bithynus migrated to Bithynia. [11]
Thynus migrated to Phrygia. [12]
Mariandynus later migrated to the vicinity of Heracleia. [13]
Paphlagon (or Paphlagonus) migrated to Paphlagonia. [14]
3 Expansion to the Black Sea
In 1390 BC, Sisyphus' son Aeetes migrated from Ephyraea (later Corinth) to Colchis on the eastern coast of the Black Sea. [15]
In 1380 BC, Belus' son Phineus migrated from Ethiopia to the southwestern coast of the Black Sea and founded Salmydessus. [16]
In 1360 BC, Asterios, son of Minos, son of Europa, migrated from Troas to Colchis. [17]
In 1340 BC, Cytissorus, son of Phrixus, migrated from Colchis to the southern coast of the Black Sea and founded Cytorus. [18]
In 1335 BC, the sons of Phineus, Clytius and Polymedes (or Plexippus, Pandion) migrated from Salmydessus to Tauric Chersonese. [19]
4 Age of Ilus
4.1 Succession of King Wilusa of Ilus
In the 100 years since Teucrus first settled in Troas in 1435 BC, many Greek towns were built and many Greeks settled in Troas and the Black Sea region.
King Wilusa, feeling a growing sense of crisis, married his daughter to Ilus, son of Tros. [20]
Ilus usurped the throne of Wilusa upon the death of his wife's father. [21]
It was also in the lineage of the Hittite kings that a son-in-law should inherit the throne, and the Hittites recognized Ilus as King Wilusa.
The Hittites realized that Wilusa had become a powerful vassal state, suppressing the surrounding towns with which they had continued to skirmish.
The kingdom of Troy became an ally with the Hittites, although they were obliged to pay tribute to them. [22]
King Wilusa's sons were killed by Ilus, their clan was exiled from Ilium, and many inhabitants of Dardanus migrated to Ilium.
Dardanus was succeeded by Tros' son Assaracus (or Asarakos) after his death. [23]
4.2 Territorial expansion to the east
With the strong backing of the Hittites, Ilus expanded its territory to the east.
In 1325 BC, Ilus expelled Tantalus, who lived on the north side of Mount Ida. [24]
In 1300 BC, Ilus attacked Ethiopia near the mouth of the Aesepus River and brought it under Troy's control. [25]
Afterwards, Ilus expanded his power by advancing further east into Mysia of Olympene and fighting the Byzos of Bebryces. [26]
5 Sparks of the Trojan War (1295 BC)
5.1 Battle for succession to the throne
In 1296 BC, Ilus died and his son Laomedon succeeded to the throne. [27]
Laomedon was then exiled from Ilium by Phaenodamas (or Hippotes), who was believed to be his brother. [28]
Laomedon attacked Ilium with the support of the Hittite army and the armies of Hittite vassals. [29]
Phaenodamas, defeated in battle, was killed along with his sons. [30]
The remaining three daughters of Phaenodamas fled to Sicily. [31]
In Sicily, Phaenodamas' daughter Egesta had a son, Aegestus (or Acestes). [32]
5.2 Conflict between Ilium and Dardanus
After Ilus moved from Dardanus to Ilium, Dardanus was succeeded by Assaracus, son of Tros. [33]
Priam, the son of Laomedon, the son of Ilus, had forty-seven sons. [34]
Antenor, a contemporary of Priam, had 19 sons. [35]
However, only Laomedon, son of Ilus, and Capys, son of Assaracus, appear in the lore. [36]
There appears to have been a fierce battle for the succession of Ilium, with the sons of Assaracus of Dardanus supporting Phaenodamas.
6 Increase in ships using Hellespontus
6.1 Jason's Expedition
In 1248 BC, there was an expedition by the Argonauts that included many of the heroes of the time. [37]
In the story, Aeson's son Jason leads an expedition of Argonauts. However, when constructing the genealogy, Jason's marriage to Aeetes' daughter Medea predates that expedition by 20 years.
In 1268 BC, Jason traveled with the Minyans of Iolcus of Thessaly to Colchis on the eastern coast of the Black Sea and married Medea. [38]
This expedition increased trade between Thessaly and the Black Sea region.
6.2 Contact with Trojans
In 1260 BC, Autolycus, son of Deimachus, was driven from Tricca in Thessaly and moved to Sinope on the southern coast of the Black Sea. [39]
With this migration, those who had migrated to Tricca with Autolycus' wife Mestra also migrated to Sinope.
Mestra's father Erysichthon (or Aethon) lived near Dotium in Thessaly. [40]
It is assumed that Protesilaus, son of Iphiclus, who lived in Phylace near Dotium, passed through Hellespontus and traded with the Black Sea region.
The wife of Protesilaus was Laodamia, daughter of Acastus of Iolcus, where the Minyans lived who knew the route to the Black Sea. [41]
Also, Clymene, the mother of Iphiclus, was the daughter of Minyas, and Phylace was also home to the Minyans who immigrated with Clymene. [42]
Furthermore, Philoctetes, son of Poeas, who lived in Magnesia facing the Aegean Sea, also used Hellespontus to conduct trade. [43]
Protesilaus and Philoctetes established friendly relations with Aesyetes, father of Antenor, who ruled Dardania facing Hellespontus. [44]
7 First Trojan War (1244 BC)
7.1 Expulsion of Priam
In 1244 BC, Laomedon died and his son Priam (or Podarces) inherited the kingdom of Troy. [45]
Aesyetes, the son of Capys, the son of Assaracus (or Asarakos), the son of Tros, and Anchises exiled Priam and usurped the king of Troy. [46]
Assaracus was left in Dardania with his father Tros when his brother Ilus moved to Ilium. [47]
Strabo reports that Antenor held Dardania. [48]
From this it appears that Antenor's father, Aesyetes, was the son of Capys, son of Assaracus, who lived in Dardania, and was a brother of Anchises.
Anchises and Aesyetes also had the right to inherit the kingdom of Troy, but Aegestus, the grandson of Phaenodamas, who was presumed to be the son of Ilus of Wilusa, became king.
Anchises and Aesyetes summoned Aegestus from Sicily, and with the help of Protesilaus and Philoctetes, expelled Priam from Ilium. [49]
7.2 Exile of Priam
Priam defected to Miletus, relying on his sister Hesione, who had married into Miletus. [50]
King Hittite requested Hesione's husband to hand over Priam to Hittite so that he could be installed as King of Wilusa. [51]
At that time, Miletus was a vassal state of Hittite, and as requested by King Hittite, Priam was handed over to Hittite, and Priam, along with Hittite's army, went to Ilium to retake the throne. [52]
7.3 Return of Priam
Ilium was attacked by Hittite's army and the Hittite army and the armies of Hittite vassals.
In this battle, Aesyetes was killed as he tried to fight back against Priam's forces in the plain about 1 km south of Ilium. [53]
Priam recaptured Ilium. Antenor, son of Aesyetes, Anchises and Aegestus, as well as Protesilaus and Philoctetes, escaped from Ilium.
Protesilaus was killed while crossing to Thracian Chersonesus and buried in Elaesus (or Eleus) at the southern tip of the peninsula. [54]
Antenor, the son of Aesyetes, founded Patavium (later Padua) deep in the Adriatic Sea, partway apart from Aegestus and Anchises. [55]
Philoctetes separated from them in the southern Italian peninsula and settled in Macalla of Croton. [56]
Aegestus returned to Sicily with Anchises. [57]
Aegestus and Anchises were accompanied by many people from the Scamander River basin. [58]
7.4 Sons of Antenor
Antenor, who moved to Italy, didn't have all 19 sons with him. [59]
Some of the sons escaped to Lesbos on the south side of Troas. [60]
7.5 Involvement of Mygdon
Mygdon, who lived in Mysia of Olympene, sided with Antenor and was forced out of his residence and moved to Paeonia. [61]
Mygdon is presumed to have been the father of Cisseus, the father of Antenor's wife Theano. [62]
Later, Mygdon's descendants rushed to Troy as reinforcements, but to side with Antenor's sons. [63]
7.6 Involvement of Heracles
A number of historical sources tell of Heracles' expedition to Troy. [64]
The traditions were that Heracles returned to Tiryns from Omphale in Lydia, and that Heracles captured Ilium before attacking Elis. [65]
This coincides with the time of the struggle for the throne of Priam.
Ethiopia, under the rule of Ilus, father of Laomedon, was the birthplace of Andromeda, wife of Perseus, and was inhabited by Perseus' son Perses. [66]
Perses was the brother of Alcaeus, father of Amphitryon, father of Heracles. [67]
Heracles had good reason to join the expedition of Protesilaus and Philoctetes.
8 Second Trojan War (1188 - 1186 BC)
Agamemnon's Troy expeditionary force occupied Troy, and Neoptolemus is reported to have migrated to the land of the Molossians, taking with Helenus, the son of Priam, and the sons of Hector. [68]
The 5th century AD theologian Jerome tells us that "the sons of Hector recaptured Ilium, after the progeny of Antenor had been expelled, Helenus bringing help to them." [69]
The Dictys of Crete, at the end of the fifth volume of his own account of his direct experience of the Trojan War, notes that it was Antenor who finally took control of Ilium. [70]
Taken together, it is presumed that Neoptolemus fought on Hector's side but was defeated.
Hector died, and his wife and sons were taken by his brothers Helenus and Neoptolemus, which means that they fell.
Neoptolemus then fought against the sons of Antenor.
8.1 Troy expedition of Agamemnon
It seems that Agamemnon did not make an expedition to Troy for the following reasons.
8.1.1 Mycenae's dominance was not solid
Mycenae was succeeded by Thyestes, son of Pelops, after the death of Eurytheus, who was exiled to his brother Atreus. [71]
After Atreus's death, Thyestes recaptured Mycenae and Atreus's two grandsons, Agamemnon and Menelaus, fled to Sparta. [72]
Menelaus married Tyndareus' daughter Helen and succeeded Tyndareus as King Lacedaemon. [73]
Agamemnon led the Lacedaemonians in recapturing Mycenae and confining Thyestes and his son Aegisthus in Cythera off the Laconian Gulf. [74]
Later, according to tradition, Agamemnon set out on an expedition to Troy.
And while Agamemnon was away, Aegisthus left the island and took control of Mycenae.
Under these circumstances, it is inconceivable that Agamemnon led an army from Mycenae on a long expedition.
8.1.2 Emigrations of the Sons of Agamemnon
Agamemnon's sons migrated from Mycenae to various places.
It is probable that they remained in the town during Agamemnon's Troy expedition and were expelled by Aegisthus. If so, they would have informed Agamemnon that Mycenae had been taken and they would have recaptured the town. It is reasonable to suppose that Agamemnon was killed by Aegisthus and that his sons fled to various places.
Halaesus, son of Agamemnon, migrated to Falerii (now Civita Castellana) in the middle of the Italian peninsula. [75]
Hyperion, son of Agamemnon, escaped to Megara. [76]
Orestes, son of Agamemnon, escaped to Strophius, son of Crisus, who lived in Crissa, Phocis. [77]
Some of Agamemnon's children escaped to Locris. [78]
Their descendants, Cleues, son of Dorus, and Malaus, led the Aeolians to Asia Minor. [79]
8.2 Ruler of Hellespontus
Ilus, the son of Tros, moved to Ilium, and Assaracus lived in Dardanus. [80]
At the time of Laomedon, Antenor lived in Dardanus and occupied Dardania, which controlled Hellespontus. [81]
But when Laomedon died, a battle for the throne broke out, and Antenor disappeared, Dardania fell under the control of Ilium, where Priam lived. [82]
Abydus was ruled by Priam's son Democoon. [83]
Arisbe, Practius, and Sestus of Thracian Chersonesus on the opposite shore of Abydus were dominated by Asius, the son of Priam's wife Arisbe. [84]
Percote was dominated by Melanippus, the son of Priam's brother Hicetaon. [85]
Thracian Chersonesus was dominated by Polymestor (or Polymnestor), the husband of Priam's daughter Iliona. [86]
Dardanus, where Antenor lived, is not among the names of Dardanian towns in Homer's works.
Presumably, it was destroyed by Priam during the struggle for the throne.
The ruler of Hellespontus became Priam, not Antenor.
8.3 Friendship with Priam
8.3.1 Phthia and Salamis
Since 1260 BC, when Autolycus, the son of Deimachus, migrated from Tricca in Thessaly to Sinope on the southern coast of the Black Sea, the number of ships passing through Hellespontus has increased. [87]
Autolycus' wife was Mestra, daughter of Erysichthon, son of Myrmidon, who lived in Phthia. [88]
It is probable that there was trade between Phthia and the descendants of those who accompanied Mestra and migrated from Phthia via Tricca to Sinope.
The two sons of Aeacus, son of Actor, brother of Mestra's father, Peleus and Telamon, lived in Phthia and Salamis, respectively. [89]
During Priam's time, Achilles, son of Peleus, and the two sons of Telamon, Ajax and Teucer, were presumably involved in trade with Sinope on the southern coast of the Black Sea.
In order for them to use Hellespontus safely, there must have been a friendly relationship with Priam.
8.3.2 Locris and Messenia
Pausanias writes about a tradition related to Leuce (Current Zmiinyi, Snake Island) floating in the Black Sea. [90]
In addition to Achilles and Ajax, son of Telamon, there are Ajax, the son of Oileus, Patroclus, and Antilochus, the son of Nestor. They seem to be related to trade in the Black Sea.
Ajax, the son of Oileus, lived in Narycus of Locris and ruled the Opuntians. [91]
Patroclus, son of Menoetius, lived in Opus of Locris, under the control of Ajax, son of Oileus. [92]
Nestor's son Antilochus lived in Pylus of Messenia.
At the marriage of Neleus, father of Nestor, to Chloris, daughter of Amphion of Orchomenus in Boeotia, many Minyans emigrated with Chloris. [93]
Nestor also married Eurydice (or Anaxibia), the daughter of Clymenus, from Orchomenus, and Minyans also lived in Pylus. [94]
Minyans knew the route to Colchis on the eastern coast of the Black Sea, and it is assumed that Pylus also traded with the Black Sea region.
The tomb of Antilochus was located near the tombs of Achilles and Patroclus in Sigeium, northwest of Ilium. [95]
Also, the tomb of Telamon's son Ajax was in Rhoeteium, northeast of Ilium. [96]
8.4 Battle of Ilium
Ilium's offensive and defensive battles, which occurred at the end of Priam's time, are presumed to have been as follows:
When Priam died in 1188 BC, the sons of Antenor captured Ilium and usurped the throne.
Around this time, Hittite was on the verge of collapse, and Priam's eldest son Hector, who had been kicked out of Ilium, sought reinforcements from the Achaeans with whom he had friendly relations.
Out of friendship with Priam, the following people participated in the attack against Ilium:
Achilles, son of Peleus, and his son Neoptolemus, Patroclus, son of Menoetius, Ajax, son of Oileus, Antilochus, son of Nestor, and two sons of Telamon, Ajax and Teucer.
In addition, the following towns in Thessaly also participated in the expedition in response to Achilles' call.
Polypoetes, son of Peirithous, and Leonteus, son of Coronus, of Gyrton.
Eurypylus, son of Euaemon, of Ormenion.
Two sons of Asclepius (or Aesculapius) of Tricca, Machaon and Podalirus (or Podalirius).
Also accompanying Ajax, the son of Telamon, was the soothsayer Calchas, who lived in Megara. [97]
8.5 Result of the battle
In the battle against the sons of Antenor of Ilium, Hector, Achilles, Patroclus, Ajax son of Oileus, Ajax son of Telamon, Antilochus, and Machaon were killed in battle.
In 1186 BC, the Achaeans received news that Thesprotians had taken Thessaly, and they abandoned their attempt to capture Ilium.
Polypoetes and Leonteus fled to Ionia and settled in Colophon. [98]
Eurypylus settled at Patrae in Achaia. [99]
Calchas migrated to Pamphylia and founded Selge. [100]
Podalirus fled to Caria and founded Syrnus. [101]
Teucer crossed over to Cyprus and founded Salamis. [102]
Earlier, Agapenor, son of Ancaeus of Arcadia, had migrated to Cyprus to mine for copper, and Teucer may have gone in reliance on Agapenor. [103]
Neoptolemus emigrated to the land of Molossians, taking with him Priam's son Helenus and Hector's wife Andromache and Hector's sons. [104]
8.6 Verification of Lore
8.6.1 Participation of Athenians
Legend has it that the Athens king Menestheus also led the Athenians on an expedition to Troy.
But as with Agamemnon, Athens was not fully in control.
Legend has it that Menestheus migrated to Melos after the fall of Troy. [105]
Menestheus did not make an expedition to Troy, but was probably expelled from Athens by Theseus' two sons, Demophon and Acamas, and settled in Melos.
8.6.2 Ajax, son of Telamon
Telamon's son Ajax had at least two sons, Aeantides and Eurysaces, during the expedition.
The mother of Aeantides was Glauce, daughter of Cycnus (or Cygnus) of Colonae in Troas. [106]
The mother of Eurysaces was Tecmessa, daughter of Teuthras of Phrygia. [107]
Aeantides and Eurysaces have traces of having lived in Athens, and Telamon's son Ajax is presumed to have actually participated in the expedition and died in battle. [108]
9 Third Trojan War (1170 BC)
The 5th century AD theologian Jerome tells us that "the sons of Hector recaptured Ilium, after the progeny of Antenor had been expelled, Helenus bringing help to them." [109]
And Geoffrey of Monmouth, an English clergyman of the 12th century AD, "After Antenor's descendants were exiled, Hector's sons ruled at Troy." [110]
9.1 The whereabouts of Hector's sons
In 1188 BC, Ilium was occupied by the sons of Antenor, and Priam's sons and grandsons, unable to retake Ilium, emigrated to various places. [111]
The sons of Hector, accompanied by Neoptolemus and Helenus, migrated to the land of the Molossians. [112]
9.2 Return of Hector's sons
In 1175 BC, Neoptolemus sacked Delphi and was killed in battle with the Delphians led by Machaereus, son of Daetas. [113]
Andromache, the mother of Hector's sons, was married to Neoptolemus, but she became the wife of Helenus. [114]
Hector and Andromache had at least three sons.
Namely, Scamandrius (or Astyanax), Laodamas, and Saperneios. [115]
A genealogical tree reveals a large age difference between Hector and Andromache, and it is assumed that Hector had many sons by different wives.
In 1170 BC, when Hector's sons came of age, Helenus gave them an army to attack Ilium. The core of the army was the Myrmidons under the command of Achilles and Neoptolemus. However, many of the troops were Achaeans, people who had fled from Thessaly to Locris and emigrated with Neoptolemus to the land of the Molossians.
The sons of Hector gathered together the scattered descendants of Priam, added them to their forces, and recaptured Ilium from the sons of Antenor. [116]
9.3 Return of Andromache
At this time, their mother Andromache did not go with them to Ilium.
Andromache and Helenus had a son, Cestrinus. [117]
After the death of Helenus, Andromache migrated to Asia Minor, accompanied by her son Pergamus with Neoptolemus. Pergamus founded Pergamon. [118]
Thebe, where Andromache was born, was very near Pergamon.
10 Finally
Of the three Trojan Wars in which the Achaeans were involved, the largest expedition was the second, coinciding in time with the expedition reportedly led by Agamemnon.
However, it seems that it was not Agamemnon but Achilles, son of Peleus of Phthia of Thessaly, who led the expedition.
Through the connection to Arne of Thessaly, many people from Boeotia also participated in the expedition.
As a result, the defenses of both regions were stretched thin, and Thessaly was invaded by the Thesprotians and Boeotia by the Thracians and Pelasgians, and many towns were occupied. [119]
The historian Herodotus notes that this expedition was as grievous to the Greeks as the invasion of Greek by Persia. [120]
End
