INTRODUCTION

The amazing thing about the Trojan War is that, although it occurred about 3200 years ago, people have been creating literature and art about it ever since. Consequently, stories, art and artifacts dealing with the Trojan War offer a consistent theme for studying the evolution of Greek, Roman, Byzantine,  European and American history and culture over a very long period of time.

You will select and read several stories about the Trojan War, starting with Homer and finishing in the late 20th century. You will learn about the fall of the real Troy at the end of the Bronze Age and examine Bronze Age artifacts and ancient Greek myths relating to Troy. Starting with Homer's Iliad, you will explore each new Troy story you select in its historical and cultural context. For example, you will learn about the Dark Age along with Homer's Iliad, about Classical Greece along with a Greek play about Troy. The purpose is to get a feel for the incredible length of time that these stories have been retold, and the continuities as well as differences in the civilizations that have enjoyed them.