Introduction
The Trojan War: A New History by Barry Strauss presents a captivating account of the war between the Greeks and the inhabitants of Troy (Ilion). The author employs in-depth research and historical analysis, thus providing a clear picture of what transpired during the Trojan War. This critical discussion presents the reader with historical accounts of this iconic event. In his book, Barry Strauss aims to demystify the events resulting in the fall of Troy and the history behind the ten-year conflict with Greece.
Barry Strauss presents several views on the Trojan War, including challenging the idea that the Trojans were Greeks. This author further examines various works by Homer to determine his knowledge of the Bronze Age Mycenaean civilization. Barry Strauss’s The Trojan War offers a critical assessment of the events of the Trojan War, drawing on archaeological findings, historical evidence, and literary sources, and offers a modern perspective.
Barry Strauss’s View on the Trojan War and His Critique of Homer’s Literature
In his view, Barry Strauss concludes that the Trojan War occurred and is embedded in the Late Bronze Age Mycenaean culture. This writer believed real-life events caused the struggle and used ancient literature and archaeological findings to affirm his view. The author cites prehistoric evidence, such as the discovery of ancient Troy ruins in Turkey, which confirms that the fighting occurred. He also draws his conclusion from Hittite texts regarding Ilion. The availability of archaeological evidence of the aftermath of the Trojan Conflict, such as the wrecks of Greek warships, confirms that the warfare occurred.
Barry Strauss gives a detailed introduction to the city of Troy, concluding that it was not a Greek city but an Anatolian one. The author further asserts that the Trojans were not Greeks, contrary to what is reported in some literary works. The city of Ilion had abundant resources, which could be another reason for the Greek invasion. Barry Strauss outlines several reasons that could have triggered the conflict, revolving around economic, political, and social factors.
In the novel, the author concludes that Helen was not the sole reason for the battle but a factor that led to the war. The battle whirled around personal revenge and was first used to settle social feuds. Apart from analyzing the unfolding event’s history, Barry Strauss also criticizes Homer’s account of the Trojan Conflict during the Mycenaean Bronze Age.
Barry Strauss’s approach entails analyzing whether Homer had sufficient information about events during the Bronze Age and whether he accurately portrays the timeline. He doubted the Iliad‘s information concerning the events unfolding during the Trojan combat. He states, ‘Homer lived perhaps around 700 B.C., about five hundred years after the Trojan War’. He concludes that new findings portray Homer as a poet who knew more about the struggle than previously thought.
Barry Strauss says that the varying social structures, customs, and military tactics presented in the poems are consistent with what researchers have discovered. The novelist says, ‘In Greece, archaeologists showed long ago that the arms and armor described by Homer were used in the Bronze Age’. His work is vital for understanding what transpired during the famous Bronze Age war.
Chapters Analyses
Barry Strauss’s book is organized into eleven chapters that cover distinct ideas. In the first portion, the author elaborates on the social and political causes of the Trojan War. The abduction of Queen Helen by the Prince of Troy is considered one factor in the conflict between the Greeks and the Trojans. In this section, the writer doubts the historical accuracy of the Iliad and Odyssey. Section one further offers archaeological evidence that supports Homer’s claims in his poems that Barry Strauss initially questioned.
In the second volume, the war progresses much as Greek warships sail toward the city. The focus is on King Agamemnon of the Greeks, who was feared by many. Barry Strauss states that the discovery of King Agamemnon’s remains by archaeologists in the Mycenaean royal tombs justified the assumption that he was formidable.
In chapter three, the Greeks arrive near Troy and are ready to land. The author states that the first Greek to land was murdered by the Trojans. This section also shows how the Hellenes emerged victorious when Achilles killed Cycnus, forced the Trojan warriors to fall back, looted their armory, and established a camp.
The fourth segment further elaborates on the warfare and the various strategies Antenor implemented to end the conflict. Antenor wants to heed the Greeks’ demands by returning their treasure and Helen, but Antimachus, a Trojan soldier, opposes. The town prepares for war, and, having outnumbered the Greeks, they safely prevent them from entering.
On several occasions, the walls of Troy were nearly destroyed but remained firm. Barry Strauss says, ‘If these walls could talk, they would scream. In this section, Barry Strauss concludes that the wars Homer describes in his poems are accurate, as they are reflected in other written sources and in archaeological evidence from the same period.
In the subsequent segment, much focus is placed on Achilles, a central character in the Iliad and a Greek warrior. This persona was responsible for the trickery that resulted in the fall of Troy. In the sixth chapter, an elaboration on the demoralization of Greek soldiers who died not only from Trojan spears but also from the plague that made them very sick is presented. This section also presents the internal power struggles among the Greeks, leading to a division of the army between Agamemnon and Achilles.
In chapter seven, Barry Strauss focuses on two champions, Paris and Menelaus, of Troy and Greece, respectively. A truce had been reached between the participants, but Pandarus, a rogue Trojan soldier who wanted Menelaus dead, broke it, leading to a continued struggle. It is stated that after a long standoff, there was a call for a ceasefire to enable the dead to be buried. In the next section, Barry Strauss outlines why the night was the best time to conduct attacks.
Odysseus and Diomedes of Greece are sent on a mission at nightfall to uncover the enemy’s battle plan. It is stated that, for the scheme to succeed, they would have to move quickly to take advantage of the cover of darkness. Still under section eight, the author says, as the two spies traveled, ‘they had to step over corpses, abandoned weapons, and pools of blood’. This statement presents the consequences of warfare, including property destruction and death.
Chapter nine presents the offensive strategy Hector deployed against the Greeks. The Troyans attack the enemies but are unsuccessful, and many of their mighty soldiers are wounded. They only manage to push the Greeks behind their trenches before relaunching another strike that led to the death of the third son of Priam.
A Trojan seer, Polydamas, warns Hector against attacking Achilles, but he persists, leading to Hector’s injury and unconsciousness. Barry Strauss portrays the two generals, Achilles and Hector, as the Trojan War’s main characters. The Trojan commander was addicted to heroism and was determined to prove himself in battle. Hector was courageous and arrogant at the same time, which led to his death.
In chapter ten, much focus is placed on the aftermath of the demise of Hector. His corpse is dragged across the battlefield. Priam begs for his body, and this results in an eleven-day truce to allow his burial. This chapter affirms that the walls of Troy still stood firm, yet all the mighty soldiers, such as Achilles, Hector, Ajax, and Paris, were dead.
In the last chapter, Barry Strauss presents the Trojan Horse as the Greeks’ last stronghold, as the rest fled to the island of Tenedos. Barry Strauss states that the Greeks used deceit to access the city of Troy. In the end, they lit a fire in the city, torching it down and destroying it.
Evaluation
Barry Strauss’ book offers readers a fresh perspective on the famous Trojan battle during the Bronze Age. The text clearly explains what transpired during the warfare by incorporating literary works such as the Iliad and other archaeological works. Throughout the novel, Barry Strauss asserts the credibility of Homer’s works through deep analysis.
The strengths of this work include presenting a new theory of the cause of the Trojan War—the book draws on literature, history, and archaeology to support its claims. The text further critically analyses prehistoric discoveries and literary works, such as poems, providing readers with valuable insights into the history of the conflict. The book presented one shortcoming: it over-relied on literary works, overlooking historical uncovering.
The author’s prose is unambiguous as he presents the complex history of the Greeks and Trojans in an engaging, understandable way. It is well-structured, showing the main events of the fight across the chapters, making it easy for the reader to follow. Barry Strauss does not introduce any new information but rather critically analyzes available information.
I agree with the author’s approach of integrating archaeological evidence and other antiquarian sources to support Homer’s account of the battle. Despite presenting the critiques of the Trojan War’s history as ‘new,’ this does not mean they are entirely modern; rather, they represent a different interpretation of the already existing history. By comparing his findings with current information, the author presents up-to-date, undisputed factual research.
Conclusion
The book The Trojan War by Barry Strauss is a fascinating work that clearly outlines the historical basis of the Trojan conflict while justifying Homer’s claims. Several myths surround this event in the Bronze Age, but this is countered by the presentation of factual evidence, such as archaeological remains, to support the elements of the Iliad and Odyssey. Through his presentation, the author confers Homer as a credible source to researchers interested in understanding the major Bronze Age event. The book’s outline in sections makes it easy to follow the events as they unfold, culminating in the fall of Troy.
Bibliography
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Şaraplı, Onur. “The Late Bronze Age Anatolia: The Origin of Trojans in the Context of Language and Culture.” Karadeniz Uluslararası Bilimsel Dergi 44, no. 1 (2019): 228–240.
Seltzer, Richard. “The Trojan War: A New History.” Medium, 2023.
Smith, Oliver D. “A New Suggested Site for Troy.” Athens Journal of History 8, no. 1 (2021): 81–98.
Strauss, Barry. The Trojan War: A New History. (NewYork: Simon & Schuster, 2006), 1-316.