The Trojan war

Beware the bite of large wooden animals

“Homer” Activity

• Give me the range of possible scholarly dates for Homer’s life.
• What are Homer’s two famous epics?
• According to the article, what is the “greatest literary mystery?”
• If Homer did not exist, how do scholars explain the origin of the Iliad and the Odyssey?
• Why is it difficult for scholars to know when Homer was born?
• How does “dialect” help scholars trying to answer questions about Homer’s life?
• Why do some scholars believe that Homer was blind?
• List some modern literature that has been influenced by Homer.

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Use a summary graphic organizer to write a summary of the article. Be sure to include a topic sentence. Use headings in the article to help you uncover the important details about Homer.

“The Trojan War” Questions

• The Trojan War was fought between what two kingdoms? (p.1)
• When do archaeologists believe the Trojan War occurred? (p.1)
• According to legend, how did the Trojan War begin? (p.1)
• List the two Greek kings and four Greek heroes named. (p.1)
• What two epics were written by Homer? (p.2)
• Who was the German archaeologist who discovered Troy in 1870? (p.2)
• Fill in the blanks. Troy was first inhabited in the year ______ B.C. and abandoned in _____ A.D. (p.3)

Bonus Activity

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Use a summary graphic organizer to write a summary of the article. Be sure to include a topic sentence. Use headings in the article to help you uncover the important details about Homer.

Geography

Historical Context

• Historians believe that the Trojan War took place in the late Bronze Age around 1,180 BCE.

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Homer (review)

• Author of The Iliad and The Odyssey

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• 1100 BCE - 750 BCE
• Herodotus says 850 BCE
• Did he even exist at all??
• Was he blind??

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• Seven cities claim to be “The birthplace of Homer”

Mycenaean Civilization

• Mycenaean civilization in Greece

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• Mycenaeans were Bronze Age Greeks who farmed, fished, and traded around the Aegean Sea.

Why did the Trojans and Mycenaeans fight?

Homer tells us that Paris (Trojan Prince) stole Helen, the wife of King Menelaus (Mycenaean).

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However...

Historians believe that there was a trade war going on between the cities of Troy and Mycenae.

Archeology

• Heinrich Schliemann discovered the ruins of Troy in 1870.
• He believed he had found “Priam’s Treasure”
• Priam was the King of Troy during the Trojan War

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• Archaeological digs have uncovered ruins on the site from 3,000 BCE until 1350 CE
• Many different layers of the city. Troy was rebuilt many times.
• Troy 7a has burned walls and scattered skeletons (dated to 1180s BCE)

Heinrich Schliemann Sophia wearing “Priam’s Treasure”

Black Ships Before Troy (Iliad)

• Black Ships Before Troy is an adaptations of The Iliad
• Story is set during the Trojan War
• The Iliad is EPIC poetry
• Oral tradition
• Written between 760 BCE - 710 BCE
• (range determined by linguistic evidence)

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What is an Epic Poem?

An Epic Poem is a long, narrative poem.

• Heroic deeds
• Journey of a hero
• Mental or physical
• Wide cast of characters
• Comes from the Greek word “epikos” meaning “long story”

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Why did people write Epics?

Epic poems were ideal in the ancient world

Why?

• The oldest epics were memorized because they were composed before writing and reading were widespread.
• The rhythm and meter of the epic poem made it easier to memorize.

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Why did people write Epics?

Oral tradition -- Ideas and history are communicated by word of mouth instead of books.

• Poems sound pleasant when read or recited aloud
• Examples: The Epic of Gilgamesh, The Iliad, The Odyssey, Beowulf

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Sources

"Linguistic evidence supports date for Homeric epics - Altschuler - 2013 - BioEssays - Wiley Online Library". Onlinelibrary.wiley.com. 2013-02-18.

http://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/trojan-war

http://www.biography.com/people/homer-9342775